


Railroad of Despair

by HeldOnandLetGo



Series: Legacy of Despair [6]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-10-19 00:39:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 47,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17591465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeldOnandLetGo/pseuds/HeldOnandLetGo
Summary: Eight teens will soon awaken aboard a train that is winding through some of the most merciless wilderness in the dead of winter. It's been three years since the first killing game began. These unlucky eight were all candidates for 81-B that were chosen at random to participate in a very different type of killing game. Unlike any game for it, the luxury of time is not on their side. Should they not find a way off within a week, they'll all share the same blood fate. However there is one sure way to leave the Railway of Despair, someone has to commit the perfect murder...Let the Killing game begin!





	1. All Aboard: Act One

* * *

**December 18th 2020**

* * *

**7:45 A.M Day One**

**Observation Car**

**Viewing Room**

Emizel groaned as he opened his eyes and sat up in his seat. The young man was very petite and short for his age. He had short and curly blue hair with a wild cowlick. He was quite tanned and had vivid red eyes. He wore no shirt which exposed his petite frame, a pair of red jeans that were too short and reached his ankles, a black belt, red and yellow tennis shoes, a pair of black finger-less gloves, a very ornate sword rested over his back, and a thick red scarf was draped around his neck.

After a moment the boy managed to collect himself as he realized he seemed to be aboard a train car of some sort. This room itself appeared to be a viewing car as it was filled with large windows that revealed a massive wintry landscape that was racing past the train. 'What in the world? Where am I?' he thought to himself as he squeezed his scarf.

A stirring nearby caused Emizel to tense, slowly he shifted on his feet before noticing a girl laying unconscious several feet on the floor.

She had long white hair that reached her back, sickly white skin, and was rather short. She appeared quite physically fit and muscular from what Emizel could see. A black eye patch rested over her left eye. She wore a traditional Shaolin monk robe: an orange GI that covered her body, with black outer lining in the folds of her uniform. White bandage wrappings cover up her hands and feet, and she wore a pair of simple sandals as well.

"Ugh, how annoying. The first person I find is out cold," Emizel muttered in his childish high pitched voice before shivering.

There was a chill in the air from the cold outside, and the train car seemed to be poorly cared for. A couple of questions began to race through the boy's mind.

How did he get here?

Why was his memory fuzzy?

Something was certainly wrong.

Emizel cautiously moved across the room before trying to open the lone door that connected the Observation Car to the cars beyond. However to his frustration he was met with resistance as the door seemed to be sealed with an electronic lock. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me. Now what?" he asked in exasperation as he peered around the room again looking for an answer.

The car itself was filled with two rows of four chairs bolted to the floor. There was an open area part ways in. Near the back of the car up on the high part of the wall was a pair of mounted guns. They appeared to be inactive at the moment.

"I-I really don't want to see what those things can do. Cousin what would you do in a situation like this?" Emizel asked before he registered motion.

The girl in the room let out a yawn as she slowly sat up. She idly looked around her surroundings with her single red eye, expecting to see her bedroom, but she stopped short upon seeing she definitely wasn't home. She paused, taking in her surroundings with a more cautious attitude, before she finally spotted her companion in the room. "Hello there." she greeted, regarding the smaller boy with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. "Do you know where we are?"

Emizel regarded the girl a moment before speaking. "Hmph, you are finally awake. We seem to be on a train of some sort. As for where and how, I know not." He gave her a childish smirk and pounded a hand against his bare chest as he continued "But worry not, human, for I shall protect you should trouble arise!"

Yumei raised an eyebrow at that, her lips curving into a smirk at Emizel's bold declaration. After a moment, she stood up from where she'd apparently slept, revealing just how much taller she was over the boy. At the same time, she started stretching, the hint of defined muscles pressing against her loose robes as she did so. "I am sure you can, little one." she finally replied, still smirking. That smirk left her face a moment later, however, as she looked around once more. "Strange, I cannot remember how I got on board this train. Have you found anyone else here?" Even as she asked that, she finally noticed a strange weight in her pocket, besides the weight of her phone. Checking it out, she stared in confusion at the ticket in her hand. "Railway of Despair? I've never heard of such a thing."

Emizel frowned at her snide remark about his height, but he let it slide. He too, pulled an identical the ticket out of his pocket "Indeed, I have never heard of such a thing either... as for other people, I attempted to leave, but the door is locked." he finished with a pout. He recovered quickly, however, as his confident yet goofy smirk returned "And yes, I shall protect you! For I am Emizel Tanaka, The Ultimate Overlord, and heir to the throne of the Demon Netherworld! Bow before me!" He lifted his sword over his shoulder, and in the other hand, summoned a small ball of fire.

Yumei stared blankly at the sphere of fire in his hands, her one eye rapidly blinking as she took in the incredulous sight. After a moment, she sighed, shaking her head as she tried to gather her wits. "Well, you see something new every day, I suppose." she murmured, deciding to try and roll with the punches, rather than agonize over the impossibility of Emizel's power. "So, you said the door is locked? Perhaps I can fix it. I tend to find that locked doors do not stay locked when I apply enough force."

Emizel triumphantly let the small ball of fire die, and and then rolled his sword into his scarf, where it magically disappeared. "If you can, I am all for it. However the door seems particularly reinforced... did you notice this timer? It seems quite odd..." he muttered as he gestured at a small digital timer that rested on the wall. It currently showed approximately a 168 hours, but was counting downwards with each second.

"Yes, it is quite strange. I wonder what it means." Yumei agreed, decidedly not commenting on Emizel's fantastical abilities. She cast a discerning eye on the timer for a moment, before approaching the locked door. She wasted no time and trusting her fist against the door causing it to shake, however it held firmly in place despite her show of force.

"Hmph, A valiant attempt... but to no avail it seems. You have quite the fighting spirit, for a human. Rejoice, for you have the honor of captivating my interest! May I inquire as to your name?" Emizel asked curiously.

Yumei regarded the door with distaste, lightly shaking her hand after she punched the thing. She felt tempted to give it another whack, but more likely than not, that wouldn't do anything. Instead, she turned her gaze to Emizel, nodding lightly at him. "I am Yumei Mao; people call me the Ultimate Shaolin Monk. It is nice to meet you, Emizel."

"Hah well fear not Yumei! Together I'm sure we'll find a way out of this accursed cage, our power levels are too high to be contained for long!" the Overlord exclaimed.

The Monk eyed the boy before offering a halfhearted smile. "Well when you put it like that, I feel safer already."

* * *

**7:49 A.M Day One**

**Coach Car**

**Sitting Area**

Adohira opens his eyes and blinks twice as he takes in an unfamiliar ceiling. Immediately, his arm reaches out for the briefcase beside him, and visibly relaxes upon feeling it's handle in his grasp. His brown eyes flit across the room making note of what appeared to be an empty train car. It was extremely dirty with broken glass and litter spread across the floor. Along the wall rested a digital timer that was counting down to something. The windows were boarded up with metal plates. Finally he noticed he wasn't alone, as he suspiciously eyed the brunette that was beginning to stir a few feet away.

Sarah groaned as she slowly sat up. "What the hell? How did I get here?" the Artist questioned as she raised a gloved hand to her forehead parting some brown bangs out of her face. She tilted her head before starring at the boy who was eying her intently. "Hey are you going to talk or just stare at me?"

"I considered pretending to be mute for a moment, but yes, I do talk," Adohira responded in a deadpan tone.

"Well that's very reassuring, anyway my name is Sarah O'Neil, and I'm the Ultimate Graffiti Artist. I have a quick question for ya, any idea where the fuck are we?" Sarah asked looking around their surrounding.

After a brief pause, the boy answered, "Adohira. And my guess is as good as yours. Hmm, I suppose we have the same story, huh?"

"Blacking out and waking up in a shitty worn down train?" Sarah asked in a dry manner.

Adohira begins to rise up from his kneeling position. "Precisely... What's your last memory?"

Sarah paused for a moment thinking "I was mixing specific blends of paints, if you get the right composition and mix it correctly it really causes the images to pop...…..and well...…..then I was here...…..you?

Adohira raises an eyebrow and stares at the half-mask around her neck. "Mixing paint? If I were you, I'd be considering whether or not this is some sort of fume-inspired dream, but then again, you do seem to have the proper equipment."

"Hey I wear proper protective gear, only a novice or junkie makes that kind of mistak-" Sarah trailed off as she rummaged through her pockets before pulling a strangle looking black and gold ticket. "What the fuck? Railway of Despair? Shit you don't think this has something to do with the whole despair craze that's been ravaging the world do you?"

The blue-haired boy stared wordlessly at his own matching ticket before letting out a frustrated sigh and collapsing into a seat. "Fuck. Why is everything always in my way." he muttered to himself.

Sarah crouched as she began examining several glass shards that lay on the floor.

"What are you even doing? You're going to cut yourself," Adohira commented as he eyed her cautiously.

The Graffiti Artist tore off one of the sleeves of her jacket and wrapped it around a piece of glass, creating a make-shift shiv. She carefully tucked the shiv into her waistband "I'm not taking chances if its those wackos who kidnapped us. If I'm wrong ill happily give it up, if I'm right, well I'll at least have something."

Adohira shook his head. "If this is anything like the previous Killing Games, then you shouldn't even try attacking our captors. But if you're feeling suicidal, then be my guest." Adohira sighed once more, and he had the distinct feeling it wouldn't be the last time.

"Well if you feel like sitting their sighing and sulking be my guest, I'm going to look around" Sarah said as she gestured at the digital readout on the far wall. "You see that timer on the wall? It's been counting down from 168 hours, I think that's right at a week. That has to mean something, so just sitting here isn't an option."

"Do what you will, though you're responsible for your own well being," Adohira commented as he rested his case in his lap.

Sarah shook her head ignoring the boy as she began to examine the rest of the car. At the far north and south ends of the car were doors that seemed to connect to separate cars. Various items litter the seats, including the one set of clothes. To the right of the north door, was a small door that was currently shut as well. The Artist moved forward and before examining a set of clothing that as draped across one of the seats. It appeared to be a military uniform and had the flag of the Russian Federation on its shoulder. There was also several old vodka bottles on some of the seats, and newspapers with Russian characters.

After a moment of inspection, Sarah began to rummage through the pockets of the uniform finding a series of Russian currency and a pack of half used cigarettes. She pocketed both before gesturing at the uniform. "I'm no expert, but I think we're in Russia," she said before approaching the boarded up windows. She peered through the boards only to see a torrent of snow blowing around the white oblivion surrounding the train. "No doubt about it, we're definitely not in Hawaii," she joked in a dry manner.

"Fantastic. Hmm, that's actually not too far from where I was," Adohira brings a hand up to his chin before rising to his feet. He grasped the handle of his briefcase before extending it as it trailed behind him on wheels as he approached the southern door.

"Well good for you. I was in New York when I blacked out. Might as well be on a different planet I'm so far from home," she mused as she inspected the side door near the sealed door to the north.

Adohira regarded the door he stood in front of before straightening. "Seems like we're not going anywhere yet. Well, it's not like we were ever reasonably going to escape that easily... I suppose now we simply wait for something to happen,"

"Hah you can just stand there and wait, I'm not going to just stand around and do nothing!" Sarah called out as she opened the side door before nearly retching. It was clear the room was a small bathroom, however it was in a deplorable state. It was clear the toilet and sink hadn't been cleaned in ages

Sarah quickly shut the door before stepping back. "I-I sure as hell hope that isn't the only bathroom on this train."

"I think we have bigger things to concern ourselves with. If we're awakening now, there must be a reason for it. We've been drawn into someone's web," Adohira remarked as his eyes stared at the seconds ticking away upon the digital timer.

* * *

**7:55 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen**

Kazuko blinked in slight confusion as the world around her began to take focus. She appeared to be lying within a modest sized kitchen. There was a dull hum of a refrigerator along with the a distant howling sound. The occasionally stirring dishes in the sink gave the sense of movement. There was a digital timer above the single door leading out of the room which denoted some sort of countdown. "The hell? Did I overwork my self again with the plot of a game? I've never had a dream like this before," she mused before eying a large dark skinned boy who seemed to be the only other occupant in the room. He seemed to be gathering his bearings as much as she was.

Tonbe slowly shakes his head as he stands up and looks around. "Huh... Oh uh hi there. I'm Tonbe Woch, Ultimate Seismologist. Do you know what's happening here?"

Kazuko pinches her cheek "Seems like I'm definitely not dreaming." She then looks at Tonbe "Hey there big guy! I go by the name of Kazuko Kodaka, Ultimate Game Designer" She says cheerfully

"Oh wow, that sounds really fun. Though I never got much chance to play many games. My parents usually just took my traveling with them." Tonbe explained looking down at the girl.

"Well that is a shame but don't worry. As for your question, I don't know what going on either." Kazuko says and look around checking with a studious expression.

The Kitchen itself was fairly decent sized, but was rather cramped by all the appliances. Kitchen knives lay sheathed upon the counter. A large chef cabinet resting next to it. There were iron skewers that lay next to the knives. The fridge adjacent to the cabinet was stocked with food and drinks. The room also contained a deep fryer, sink and washer, a garbage disposal unit, and large meat forks. There was also a large freezer unit with a padlock over it.

"Hmmm, seems like we are in a kitchen of sorts but something is off about it..." Kazuko trails off looking back at Tonbe

"Yeah I know what you mean. I definitely wasn't on a train last I remembered." Tonbe said as he began to pat himself down to see if he had his phone or anything on him.

Kazuko decides to imitate Tonbe as she began to rifle through her pockets.

The pair wouldn't discover a phone or any other normal appliance. However they each discovered a black ticket with golden embroidery upon it. It was the only thing out of of place, that clearly wasn't there beforehand. On the front scribbled neatly was a message: "One entry onto the Railway of Despair, please keep this on your person at all times"

At her discovery Kazuko groaned "Ah crap! Where is my console? And what is this? A train ticket?"

"Huh, That's odd... I guess we got on at some point. My head feels kinda fuzzy..." Tonbe began rubbing his temple. "So maybe there are others here. Want to go look for them together Kazuko?" The boy questioned with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Sure, this kitchen started to looks boring anyways.." Kazuko said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Then I guess we better hit the trail!" Tonbe exclaimed as he turned and reached for the nearby door. However despite his strength the Seismologist couldn't make the door budge in slightest, and there was no discernible locks.

The pair just stared at the digital readout above the door that continued to tick slower downward.

"A timer? Reminds me of a game in which you have a time limit to escape before it's game over," Kazuko shrugged and stared intently at her ticket.

"Ahh, dang. I guess you might be onto something about the escape thing Kazuko." The Seismologist said as turned away from the door. "So what do we need to do to escape than?"

"A puzzle or someone is consciously keeping us here. Hmm not bad either way" An amused smile appeared on her face "Well, there also exist alternate ways to clear a level. Why don't you try using your big body to force open the door?" Kazuko said in a mischievous tone

"Alright!" Tonbe turned back around and attempts to shoulder the door with all of his weight causing it to shudder, though it still refused to give way. However he would be able to hear muffled voices from the other side of the door.

As the burly boy slammed into the door it failed to budge even an inch. However he would hear muffled voices from the other side. Clearly the walls and doors blocked out a great deal of sound.

"Seems like these walls are nearly sound proofed, but we're definitely not alone here Kazuko," Tonbe said as his expression grew more serious.

A giggle escaped the game designer. "Oh my, well let's hope something happens before that timer hits zero. This seems like too much fun to get a game over without leaving this room."

* * *

**7:55 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

Axel mutters in his sleep as his head is pressed against his arms. The boy begins to slowly come to with a long yawn, when he realizes he's seated at a table. He slowly blinked the sleep out of his eyes as he examined his surroundings. He seemed to be sitting in a rather well kept dining area. There were four tables with two chairs on either side of them. It was clear that this was the interior of a train. He could barely make out white plumes of snow between the reinforced metal plates covering most of the windows. He also registered a digital timer that was ticking away along one of the walls.

"Nyeeeeh, where am I?", Eline yawned as she sat up from the adjacent table before examining the extravagant looking room around them.

The scent of freshly baked bread seemed to hang in the air along with scent of cleaning chemicals that seemed to saturate the floor.

Axel offered a weak smile before offering a small wave of his hand. "I dunno, my head really hurts, but hey at least this place isn't bad on the eyes."

The girl was quiet a moment as she rifled through her jacket to check her belongings, before curiously pulling out a black and gold ticket. She examined it a moment before finally responding. "Yeah, were we abducted by a rich snob?" By the way, who are you? I am Eline Kinnie, known as the Ultimate Dealer. And I'm not talking about Casinos here.", she said, finishing her sentence with a smirk as she pried her gaze from the ticket.

"Name's Axel Ueda! I'm known as the Ultimate Soccer Player!" The boy practically yelled. He seemed unnaturally hyper and excited,almost like a kid in a candy store. "Nice to meet you, Eline."

"So, what do you deal?" he asked, seeming genuinely curious and oblivious to her hinting.

"Nice to meet you too, captain Axel. And It's drugs that are my specialty.", she said nonchalantly," Or anything you would come by illegally.", she then looked at the ticket in her hand, "Oh, looks like this will tell us WHY the rich snob kidnapped us!"

"Wait, Illegally? But that's against the law, right?" he muttered. His eyes flew to the ticket she held in her hand, as he dug into his own pockets and fished a similar one out. Eline would hear the distinct sound of metal as he did so.

"Relax,I don't do it anymore. I'm being reformed into the Ultimate Saleswoman. Hope's Peak, probably doesn't want too many criminals.", she answered with a grin. "Take a look at these tickets though, that sounds pretty ominous don't ya think?"

The Ultimate Soccer Player read the text scribbled on the front of the ticket. "One entry onto the Railway of Despair, please keep this on your person at all times. You're right Eline, that really makes my stomach turn. What do you think it means?"

The Saleswoman shrugged. "Beats me, though it does remind me of those kids at Hope's Peak. "

"Wait you mean you think this could be connected to those nut-jobs that were causing so much trouble around the globe? I mean what are the odds of us getting caught into something like that?" Axel asked feigning a smile though he could feel his pulse quickening.

"Well it seems that killing games have become an inevitable occupational hazard for ultimates nowadays. At least I think it's one.", Eline surmised.

"Uh I'm just going to pretend like you didn't say that." he nervously stammered, his eyes darting back and forth, before focusing on the countdown on the wall. He jumped out of his seat, hurrying towards it. His metallic prosthetic limb glinting in the light as he made his way across the room. "Hey, what's this?"

"Looks like we're on some sort of deadline. I like the shiny leg by the way, does that make kicking balls easier or harder?" Eline asked with a bemused smile.

Axel glanced over his shoulder. "What was that?" he questioned before looking down at his leg "Oh yeah! This old thing." he laughed "Funny story, I was abducted by aliens and they were like 'hey! wanna cool robot leg?' and of course I had to say yes." he joked.

The pair fell silent a moment as the both registered the faint sound of voices coming from the adjacent kitchen door that was sealed shut.

"Hah well as much fun as this is we should probably try to figure out what's going on. If this is something connected to the despair movement, we need to know how many players are in the game." Eline pointed out as she slowly stood up.

The Soccer Player nodded in agreement. "Yeah sounds like we're not alone, hopefully someone else knows more than we do."

The former dealer smirked. "We seem to be of a like mind. Come on Captain Axel, let's find out who else is aboard this train."

A faint blush graced the boy's face as he nodded and approached the sealed kitchen door. The pair could hear someone forcefully trying to open the door from the far side, however it remained unmoving. Though voices could be heard, it was impossible to discern them even at this proximity.

"I don't see any kind of lock on this side, and if there was one on that side, I'm sure they would have already found it," Axel mused.

"Perhaps, there is a trick to open this.", Eline suggested.

"A trick?" Axel questioned as he faced her for a moment. "What are you suggesting?"

"It's just a theory, but maybe there's a hidden switch. Or this ticket does something," Eline pondered.

However before Axel could respond a loud horn could be heard before a series of speakers in the room crackled to life. _**"Ahem, this is your Conductor Akakuma speaking. I hope you all are beary comfortable upon the Railway of Despair. We've just begun our maiden voyage. If you'll all convene in the dining car, my staff will greet you and help you get settled for your journey."**  _A giggle seemed to follow the soft voice, before the speakers abruptly shut off.

In the moments that followed several of the sealed doors began to slid open with a hiss.

Soon the passengers aboard the Railway would find themselves united in the Dining Car.

However they had no idea what awaited them, nor the dangers that lay along this perilous journey...

* * *

**8 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	2. All Aboard: Act Two

**8:45 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

"Gah! What the heck!" Axel slightly jumped as the horn blared and echoed throughout the train.

"Huh, I guess the key to our problem was just remaining patient.", Eline said, "Seems like someone has something in store for us. Not to sound cliche, but I have a bad feeling about this."

"Well at least we're already here.." the Soccer player murmured in a nervous manner.

Before either party could speak further, the door to the kitchen suddenly opened. A large, burly, dark-skinned boy, and a petite girl with a mischievous smile, emerged into the room.

Axel greeted the newcomers with a friendly smile and threw his hand into the air. "Hey! Glad to see we're not alone in this mess of a situation."

Kazuko offered a look of mock terror before pointing behind Axel. "Oh my god, watch out! She's got a knife!"

"What are you talking about? Do you mean me?" Eline asked with a mystified expression.

Nevertheless, Axel still turned around clearly startled. "Wait, what's going on? I don't see anything." The words tumbled out of his mouth.

A deep chuckle escaped the much taller Tonbe, who folded his massive arms. "Oh, don't let Kazuko worry you. I think she just enjoys being a troublemaker."

"A troublemaker, huh?" Axel turned to regard the girl curiously.

A moment of silence hung in the air before Kazuko started giggling, resting one of her overly long sleeves across her mouth while doing so. "Sorry dude, I just can't help myself, and your expression was freaking priceless. Names Kazuko Kodaka. I'll save the full intro for later. I get the feeling we're not the only ones aboard."

Eline offered a bemused smile followed by a shrug. "You're likely right about that. If this is someway connected to the despair movement, I doubt there's just four of us."

"Speaking of which, I think we're about to find out who else is joining us," Tonbe said he shifted slightly. The adjacent car opened and Yumei strode into the dining area with Emizel and another girl, who flanked the small teen.

The Ultimate Monk peered around, regarding the other people with a wary gaze, before nodding her head in greeting.

"Hello, fellow travelers. Seems we are all in the same boat here. I am Yumei Mao, the Ultimate Shaolin Monk. I don't suppose anyone here knows what's going on here?"

Axel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Nice to meet you all. I think we all are out of our element. I know Eline and I just woke up a few minutes ago, and I'm assuming Tonbe and Kazuko probably did too."

"Yup Yup! Not exactly a five star hotel, but at least this car is fancy," Kazuko said with an impish smile.

"Believe me, it's way better than the passenger car. That place is a complete dump," Sarah remarked as she briefly nodded at the rest of the group. "I guess I feel better knowing it's more than just a couple of us in this shitty situation."

Emizel offered the group a flashy yet dorky smile as he stepped forward, magically pulling his sword out from his scarf, and raised his other hand, summoning a small fireball within his palm. "Indeed, and have no fear, mortals, for I am Emizel Tanaka, Ultimate Overlord, and heir to the Demon Netherworld! Bow before me!" He said in a squeaky, high-pitched voice

Eline whistled under her breath. "That's quite a mouthful. I'll just call you squirt or Emizel. If we're doing more introductions, I'm Eline Kinnie, the Ultimate Dealer," she said with a playful grin. "And yes, I mean that kind of dealer. Well, I used to be."

Sarah stared between the group a moment. "Sarah O'Neil, Ultimate Graffiti Artist. Heh, Eline, I don't suppose you'd tell me how much thirty rubles would get me? I think I could use something a little stronger than paint right now."

The Ultimate Dealer bit back a chortle. "Sorry for leading you on. I've gone straight recently. Hope's Peak wanted me as the Ultimate Salesman instead, so I had to clean up my act. Fraid I can't give you a fix."

"Shit, well can't blame me for trying," the Graffiti Artist mused with a shrug of her shoulders as she approached Eline. "You really don't have anything on you? Not even some weed?" She asked almost pleadingly.

The former dealer stuck her tongue out. "Nope, no can do!" She responded in a chipper manner.

Tonbe let out a laugh as he looked over the other students. "Oh man, you guys seem like a lot of fun. Hello, tiny friends, I'm Tonbe Woch, Ultimate Seismologist." He gestured to the pink-hooded girl next to him. "And Kazuko here is the Ultimate Game Designer!"

Yumei regarded the other Ultimates, not entirely sure what to think of this unique and rowdy bunch. In particular, she looked over at Eline with...a mixture of distaste and contempt, though some of that contempt vanished when she had elaborated about her skills. She soon focused on Tonbe, and her eye seemed to light up at him. A smile graced her lips as she took in his muscled form. She might have a new sparring partner here. "Hello, Tonbe. It is a pleasure to meet you. My, you look quite strong."

"O-oh, thank you, Miss Mao... I'm sure you're strong too!" Tonbe responded, clearly flustered at the attention.

"Hah, you mortals and your talents are most entertaining. You will serve the Ultimate Overlord well!" Emizel exclaimed dramatically.

"Oh that's right, I forgot to formally introduce myself." Axel admitted with a nervous chuckle as his cheeks flushed slightly. "I'm Axel Ueda and I'm known as the Ultimate Soccer Player! I hope we all can get along together." he offered before regarding Emizel closely. "Oh, I didn't realize children were aboard too. If you get nervous or scared, don't hesitate to lean on me."

Emizel growled as he attempted to throw the small fireball at Axel, but it dissipated in midair. "I am not a child! I have existed in this realm for 15 years! I am the dreadful demon Overlord, the stuff of your nightmares!" He squeaked, "Also, my scarf is better than yours, so HA!" He finished with a pout.

Axel jumped back at the fireball, flinching and screaming loudly, before it dissipated. His breathing was heavy as he slowly returned to normal stature, making sure he was okay. "I- I like my scarf..." was all he could mutter, pulling said article of clothing up onto his face, covering his mouth.

"Jeez, I'm starting to get a headache already. I wonder what's keeping Mister Attitude?" Sarah mused aloud.

"Mister Attitude?" Yumei questioned with a raised brow. "I take it you're referring to another passenger."

The Graffiti Artist nodded. "Yeah, seems like we all woke up in pairs, but I guess he wasn't in any hurry," she remarked as the sounds of footsteps and rolling wheels could be heard, growing ever closer. "Speak of the devil," she remarked. A blue-garbed boy leisurely made his way into the Dining Car.

Adohira took in the relative chaos of the group around him. He sighed and, without a word, sat in an empty seat.

Kazuko regarded him with a whistle. "Looks like we got a cosplayer of sorts. So who are you supposed to be, Mister Grumpy?"

"Does it really matter at this juncture?" Adohira asked with a deadpan expression. "We can waste time with pleasantries later. Figuring out why we're here is far more important."

"Hn, use such casual language with me again and I'll unleash my full power, mortal!" Emizel exclaimed sharply.

"Huh, you remind me of someone from a previous killing game broadcast," Eline pointed out as she regarded the petite Overlord. "What exactly does your talent entail?"

"Well human, as overlord of the underworld, I am a guardian of the-"

 _ **"WILL YOU ASSHOLES SHUT THE FUCK UP!"**  _An unseen voice exclaimed.

Sarah's eyes widened slightly. "So I guess there are more than just us aboard, and someone isn't interested in small talk."

The Ultimate Seismologist tensed slightly. "...Perhaps they can explain the purpose of why we're here."

"Teehee, I hope whatever it is, that it's fun. Because I'm already super bored!" Kazuko whined.

 _ **"I SAID SHUT UP!"**  _the same voice insisted from the car that lay to the North as footfalls could be heard.

Yumi folded her arms before offering a terse expression. "Perhaps you should reveal yourself before making demands of us."

 _ **"Talk, talk, talk. Damn teenagers!"**_  Another voice called out from a distance, though this voice echoed from the opposite direction.

"Wait, there's two of them?" Axel questioned with a baffled expression as the Northward door slid open with a hiss.

Standing here was a small animatronic bear, half purple and half black. He was wearing a blue suit with gold trimmings and buttons. On his hat the words 'caretaker' where shown in big black letters, each one sewn into a golden fabric background.

Kazuko offered a brief shrug of her shoulders. "Looks like a cheap rip off if you ask me."

Axel snapped to attention and looked at the bear. He studied it, and then a bright smile plastered his face. "It's so cute!" he exclaimed with a starry expression in his eyes.

 _ **"I'm not cute, ya fucking retard!"**  _The bear shouted back with malice coating his tone.

"He's like a little stuffed animal!" Axel continued to gush. However, his smile soon left him as he took in the bear's reaction. "R-retard?" he squeaked, slightly in disbelief.

_**"Yeah. Retard. Who cares about being fucking PC these days, and I'm no ripoff. My name's Sabankuma, and I have the God-forsaken task of taking care of your human needs so you don't die boring."** _

"Huh, well you're definitely no Monokuma." Eline wondered aloud.

Emizel frowned as he looked over at her. "You mean to say you know what this creature is? Explain yourself immediately!"

The former dealer sighed. "Someone's been living under a rock. Haven't you heard of the Monokuma bears?"

"Seeing them on a broadcast is very different than seeing something like that in person," Tonbe remarked with a wary expression. "Which of course doesn't bode well for us."

A snort from the South door caught the group's attention. _ **"Sheesh, you have no clue."**_

Standing next to the door was another animatronic bear. This one was yellow-and-black striped on one side, solid black on the other. He wore a silver jumpsuit, with a hat that said 'Mechanic' across its front.

 _ **"And my name's Hoshukuma. I'm the guy making sure the train doesn't crash and kill you all. That's your job,"**_ he explained.

"And I was gonna make a Monorail joke since we're obviously on a train," Kazuko said with a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Oh well. There's still time for bad puns."

"Bad jokes aside, it seems like our problems are multiplying," Tonbe groaned.

Adohira remained silent as he carefully scrutinized the pair of bears intently.

Yumei regarded them as well, with a scowl slowly forming across her face. She crossed her arms, and a dangerous aura projected from her body. "I see. So, we are being forced to participate in a Killing Game?"

 _ **"Hah, well you're not here to making fucking friends and talk about the power of friendship. Seems our reputation precedes us,"**_  Sabankuma snarked with a wide malicious grin.

"So let me get this straight, we have to kill one of the people here and not get caught. I imagine it can't be too different than the Hope's Peak Killing Game. I'm guessing the time ticking down on the monitors has something to do with our time frame?" Sarah suggested.

Emizel frowned. "Woah, don't brush something like that off so casually. What does a killing game even entail?"

"Sounds like we should hear them out. We don't want to break any rules by stumbling in blind," Eline remarked with a thoughtful expression.

"Come on guys, a game can't move forward until we let the villains give their dastardly speech," Kazuko said with a mocking tone as she peered between the pair of bears.

 _ **"Bahaha! Seems like the little troll gets it, so why don't you fuckers sit down and shut the hell up. We've got some ground rules to establish!"**_  the Caretaker exclaimed as he raised a clawed paw into the air.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? If you think I'm going to listen to anything you have to say, you're outta your goddamn minds!" Sarah yelled as she balled her fists up.

Suddenly, a whistle blared throughout the car. Then a bear half the height of the previous two slowly waddled past Sabankuma from the front of the train. He was light blue on one half and black on the other side. He wore a diaper, black coat, and a matching black hat with the words 'Conductor' etched on the front.  _ **"Don't use such foul language on my train! Otherwise, my daddies might have to spank you."**_  he chortled before crossing his paws across his coat.  _ **"Now pipe down. I don't like being interrupted!"**_

"Now we got the junior version," Kazuko deadpanned.

Sarah's eyes widened in shock. "What the fuck?"

Axel looked at the tiny bear and resisted the urge to freak out about how adorable it was. "I-is that a baby version?"

"...I did dispose of the last of the drugs and not take them myself by accident, didn't I?" Eline joked under her breath.

"It's... wearing a diaper..." Emizel muttered under his breath.

 _ **"It? I'm Akakuma, pal! And yes, I am adorable!"**_  He said shamelessly as he raised his little chin. _ **"Now it's time for yours truly to get down to the nitty-gritty. This is my train and you all are passengers and participants in this killing game!"**_

Tonbe silently stared over the new kuma before moving to stand in between it and Yumei.

Adohira resisted the urge to slam his face into the table. "Just get on with your spill already, this is already getting old."

Hoshu glared at the students with a large wrench in his paws. _ **"A little respect, if you please? Or I might see what's tougher, my wrench or your skull."**_

Saban crossed his arms, chuckling to himself.  _ **"Ohoho! Now I wanna see it for myself, Hoshu, though I guess we gotta let them kill each other."**_

Axel's face started to grow pale. "Y-you're kidding, right? This is a prank!" he exclaimed in denial as he shook his head.

Kazuko eyes shined with amusement. "This is definitely not boring anymore."

The dangerous, fearsome aura enveloping Yumei only increased at the words of the robotic bear. She leveled a glare at it with her one crimson eye, as she resisted the urge to utterly destroy the thing with her bare hands. Giving in to her anger would do her no good, and besides, she doubted attacking their 'host' would end well for her, or the others.'

"Railway of despair..." Tonbe muttered. "So our greatest fears have been realized," he breathed. The Seismologist tentatively rested a hand on Yumei's shoulder as he sensed her anger.

"Someone had better do some explaining before I summon some sort of terrible creature from the nether realm!" Emizel exclaimed, though his voice was shaky.

 _ **"Look, you can keep interrupting me, but time just isn't on your side,"**  _Akakuma said before jabbing his paw at the countdown timer.  _ **"In less than seven days, we will reach the end of our destination. Unfortunately, it turns out that the end of the track has been destroyed, so failure to escape this train will result in death for anyone aboard. However, most of you are fairly smart. The person who kills another student without getting caught will get to taste fresh air! Oh, and to make this game really interesting, there's another way to escape. You'll all find that you've been given a ticket. It's important that you not lose these. Occasionally, my daddies will check for tickets. If your ticket is missing, you will be thrown off the train. Let's just say that at these speeds, it's just a question of if the fall or the cold of Siberia kills you first. Anyone who collects three tickets without being caught can also escape, but if the person stealing said tickets is caught by the staff, then the thief will be the one thrown out. Any questions for little ole me?"**_

Axel slowly raised his hand "Uh...yeah. If we're going to be stuck here for a long time, where are our rooms?"

 _ **"I like your sense of humor! Am I right, Daddies?"**_ Akakuma snorted as he stared between Saban and Hoshu.

 _ **"Rooms!? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!"**  _Saban responded as he nearly doubled over from laughter.

Eline decided to bury her ticket in her jacket instantly. "Somehow, I feel like we were the butt of someone's joke."

"So I take it that having personal rooms is out of the question?" Yumei asked as she tried to restrain her anger.

 _ **"Jeez, first you punks are gonna want rooms, then you'll want things like showers or beds. Just greedy,"**_ Hoshu added with a shake of his head.

Axel looked around, clearly confused "What's so funny?" he asked earnestly.

 _ **"You've gotta earn accommodations like that, buddy. We're not just gonna hand them to you. It's pretty simple though, we just need to see some initiative. Why don't you all start plotting murder? It'll make this trip way more interesting,"**_  Akakuma giggled.

Emizel growled, "Kill? For your sick amusement? I think not!" Emizel grabbed his sword as he stalked towards the bears. "What's stopping me from cutting you build a bear rejects in half?!" He screamed.

 _ **"The rules, for one!"**  _Saban said with a grin to the Overlord.

"Huh? Rules? What are you talking about, hell-spawn?" Emizel asked, the sword still gripped tightly in his hands.

A sigh escaped Akakuma.  _ **"Dummy, did you think that attacking the staff would be fair game? The turrets around the train aren't just for show. Make a move against one of us, and let's just say you'll wish you played by the rules."**_

Emizel looked around the walls of car. "Well your firearms are nowhere to be seen here, demons. I will not allow you to claim any lives today. Feel the wrath of the Tanaka empire!" With a battle cry, he charged at Akakuma.

"Emizel, no!" Axel shouted.

The Ultimate Overlord got within striking distance of the smaller bear, ready to cleave him in two, but Sabankuma zoomed in between them like a bolt of lightning. Saban effortlessly caught the blade in the claws of his paw and swatted it to the side, the blade tumbling to the back of the car.

"Impossible." Emizel breathed looking back. This caused him to miss the moment when Saban brought the back of his other paw straight into his face, slapping him to the side of the car. Emziel crashed hard against the wall.

 _ **"Let that be a lesson to the lot of you!"**_  Saban pointed to Emizel.  _ **"That fucking idiot will be getting off with a warning for now, as the rules have not been officially announced yet, but try anything like that again and I'll fucking gut you!"**  _He showed his sharp claws, which reflected the overhead lights.

Tonbe quickly shifted to stand between the wall where Emizel lay and Sabankuma before holding his arms out parallel to his body. "That is quite enough. We won't cross you again, and there is no reason to get so worked up."

Yumei glanced between the bears. "Tonbe is right. As easy as it is to let anger get the best of us, we are clearly at a disadvantage here."

 _ **"Hah, well don't pull shit like that, and you won't get ragdolled,"**_  Hoshu snickered.

"H-Hey, are you alright, Emizel? Here, take my hand," Axel offered timidly as he approached the boy who was struggling to stand.

"Hn, thank you, mortal. I underestimated our adversary," the Overlord admitted painfully as he took the outstretched hand.

"If you're all quite done with your attempts at machismo and bravado, I'd like to ask a question." Adohira said while tipping his hat slightly. "What exactly does this so-called 'escape' look like? Will we simply be allowed to exit the train? That won't do us much good in the middle of Siberia. I assume we'll be transported to a more hospitable locale afterwards?"

Sarah tapped her forearm anxiously. "Also, does the ticket you check periodically have to be our own?"

Akakuma paused and glanced between Adohira and Sarah.  _ **"Preparations have been made for potential survivors, so don't worry your pointed head. As for tickets? You just have to have one, but you can't be caught stealing one, or else you'll be punished."**_

Kazuko smirked impishly. "So we've gotta be sneaky about it, huh? Now that's really fun."

"Well I'm glad someone is having fun," Eline deadpanned as she rubbed at her neck. "So how are we supposed to keep track of rules? Are they posted anywhere."

"Y-Yeah, that would be good to know. I don't want to break a rule without knowing it," the Ultimate Soccer Player said in a sheepish manner.

 _ **"Don't worry, buckos. We prepared for everything!"**_ Saban responded with a wide grin. He suddenly produced a large sack from behind him and tossed it into the middle of the room. _ **"Low and behold, these are your Monopads. There's one for each of you. You're going to need them."**_

The Ultimates stood there for a moment, staring at the bag. Axel had flinched when it landed with a heavy thud. After recovering, he walked towards the sack and opened it. Inside, he found what appeared to be tablet computers, but they were half-white and half-black, much like their namesakes.

Slowly, each of the other passengers followed suit. Eventually, they all had a Monopad in hand.

"Not actually the worst living circumstances in terms of equipment I've had so far, " Eline said as she examined her tablet.

A mischievous giggle escaped Kazuko. "I know, right? I wonder if it has any games?"

Yumei raised an eyebrow at the tablet in her hands, but she turned it on to look at the rules.

Tonbe smiled as he patted Yumei on the shoulder, and then he turned on his tablet to read the rules himself.

* * *

_**Railway of Despair Rules:** _

_**1\. Every passenger on board has been provided with a ticket for the journey. The staff may ask you to show your ticket at any time during the trip. Failure to present your ticket on-demand is terms for expulsion off the train. However, if you are reported attempting to steal a ticket from another passenger, that is also terms for expulsion off the train.** _

_**2\. Any passenger who collects three tickets will allowed to leave the train safety, but tickets are destroyed when someone is murdered or sentenced to execution, so collecting a dead person's ticket is impossible.** _

_**3\. If a murder is committed during the journey, the guilty party shall become the blackened.** _

_**4\. Once two people discover a body, the body discovery announcement will occur.** _

_**5\. Once the body discovery announcement has occurred, the rest of the passengers will be given an amount of time to investigate the crime until the class trial commences.** _

_**6\. During this trial, the rest of the passengers will need to vote as to which passenger among them is the blackened. Success in this will result in only the blackened being punished. However, failure to vote the right person as the blackened will result in everyone but the blackened being punished. As a reward for fooling the rest of the passengers, the blackened will be forgiven of their crime and allowed to leave the train safely.** _

_**7\. After each class trial, three cars will be unlocked for exploration. You may only explore cars that have been opened to you. Attempting to enter a car that is off limits will result in expulsion off the train.** _

_**8\. Passengers may not under any circumstances attack the staff. Attacking a staff member will result in both retaliation from the wronged staff member and expulsion off the train.** _

_**9\. The staff may not directly physically harm any of the passengers unless they are attacked first or they are performing a punishment or expulsion.** _

_**10\. Rules may be added, removed or modified at the staff's discretion.** _

* * *

Akakuma adjusted his conductor's hat. **"Okay, I'm bored already. I'll let my daddies handle explaining the boring stuff !"**  He waved a paw before waddling towards the front of the train. A hissing sound could be heard as the door shut behind him and locked…

"Things are getting interesting," Kazuko said while looking at her tablet and then at the bears. "By the way, can't you guys give me at least one handheld game console?"

Adohira nodded. "Duly noted. And one final question, since it seems like I'm the only one who knows what the important ones are. Does a ticket have to be kept on us at all times, or could we hide them elsewhere, as long as we can reclaim them when its asked for?"

 _ **"If you can't present the ticket on request, your ass is out of here!"**  _Hoshu exclaimed towards Adohira.

"Got it. Thank you," Adohira responded dryly as he pocketed the tablet.

Axel slowly skimmed over the rules, feeling his demeanor slowly dampen.

Emizel growled as he picked up the tablet and read the rules. "You lowly monsters! I won't stand for this! My cousin and I will smite you evildoers from this world!"

Saban shook his head as he smiled at Emizel.  _ **"Did ya forget the ass-whooping you just received? If the turrets aren't enough of a deterrent, just keep in mind that we're moving at 130 Miles per hour. Even if you survived the impact, you'd be thrown into sub-zero temperatures!"**_

"Uh... I don't know how to say this delicately, Emizel, but your cousin..." Eline started before being cut off abruptly.

"Hey, Emizel! I think your cousin was waxed." Kazuko commented casually before offering an indifferent shrug of her shoulders.

Emizel turned to Kazuko. "What are you talking about, human? My cousin and his devas will certainly come for us! My intuition tells me so!" He replied boldly.

Kazuko gave a pondering glance to Emizel. "Since when can dead people help others?"

Axel cut into Kazuko and Emziel's conversation. "What she's trying to say, is, uh...he's...dead tired! Yeah! He's exhausted from the game!" he tried to explain.

Emizel slackened his grip on his sword. "Huh? Dead? That's a lie! It has to be!" He screamed.

"Believe what you want," Kazuko said before shaking her head.

"Or not," Eline remarked in a deadpan tone.

 _ **"Hah, as much fun as it is to watch you go back and forth, we've got a game to set in motion,"**_  Hoshu remarked as the train itself seemed to lurch forward again with gusto. Several of the plates in the dining area trembled along with the silverware.

Axel nearly fell over, keeping himself balanced on his robotic limb. "Okay, okay, not a dream. This is real. This is real," he mumbled to himself. He seemed shaken up by the train's sudden quickened pace…

Tonbe turned to peer between the two bears. "So will you also give us motives if we don't start killing, like in the other game?"

"I think seven days until death via derailment might be motive enough for some people," Sarah remarked dryly as she eyed the others around her.

Yumei finished reading the rules once more, her mood still dark and stormy, but for now her anger was contained. After a moment, she put the pad away and decided to stow her ticket somewhere safe and secure on her person, once she had a moment of privacy. "Continuing from Tonbe's point, should we be expecting any motives?"

 _ **"Oh well of course! Yuk Yuk Yuk, you can't have a killing game without some motives. However, if you all play along nicely and kill each other quickly, they shouldn't be too much of a bother for you,"**  _Saban said.

"If anyone's planning to kill tonight, at least wait until they give us a reason to do so. That way, the motive will give you an excuse and make you seem a bit more sympathetic, yeah?" Adohira offered his thoughts out loud with a shrug.

A few moments elapsed before the speakers crackled to life. Akakuma's voice could be heard once more.  _ **"I see you're still prattling along like a bunch of nitwits. Let's put some gravity to this situation. I'm gonna give you a reason to get the lead out from the beginning. This is your first motive, I call it Cold Snap! Every hour, the temperature will drop 5 degrees. This will continue till you all freeze to death. There's only one way to stop it, so I suggest someone stop bickering and start plotting murder!"**_

 _ **"I'm so proud of our little cub. He's outdone himself with his motives!"**_  Hoshu said, beaming with joy.

Saban rubbed a paw against one of his eyes. _ **"Just a chip off the ole despair block!"**_

"Five degrees an hour?" Eline questioned as her eyes widened marginally. "That doesn't bode well for us."

"It's only five, though. That doesn't sound so bad." Axel commented in an attempt to remain positive.

"Considering the fact that the temperature will drop a hundred degrees within twenty hours, then it's definitely something to worry about," Sarah said in a low voice.

 _ **"Ohoho, it certainly is, and since you don't have access to personal quarters yet, your means of warming up are pretty slim! It's a relaxing seventy degrees fahrenheit right now. Within eight hours, the temperature will drop below freezing. I'd suggest you listen to Aka, or else you'll all be frozen lumps of meat by this time tomorrow,"**_  Hoshukuma said with a low chortle.

In less than an hour, we had awoken and been forced to accept our reality aboard this railway.

However, even despite those grave circumstances, we couldn't anticipate how all of this would end nor the role we'd all play in despair...

* * *

**8 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	3. Cold Snap: Act One

**9:12 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

Silence hung in the air of the train car in the moments after the first motive had been announced, and the staff had left them to their own devices. The passengers all took in the news of the killing game in different ways, but none of them could deny that the situation they were now in was one of life and death.

Sarah was the first among them to speak up. "Well the way I see it, we need to get a feel of our surroundings. There may be some items left around this train that could buy us some time in this cold."

Tonbe nodded in response. "Agreed. We should split up into groups. We can cover more ground that way."

"Or it could give us the chance to sneak up on someone and stab them in the neck!" Kazuko said with a grin, making a stabbing gesture with her hand.

Axel paled. "Don't even joke about that!" he exclaimed while grabbing his scarf tightly. "Well… who should team up with who then?"

Sarah looked at each member of the group, sizing them up. "Yumei, I think your presence would help guarantee our safety. You should come with me and we can search the coach and observation cars."

Yumei offered a quick bow. "No harm shall come to you while in my presence, you have my monastic oath."

Emizel walked to the back of the car and picked up his sword. He rose it into the air triumphantly. "Ah ha! The mighty black blade of the underworld is undamaged!" He returned to the group as he put the sword back into his scarf. "Allow me to accompany your search, as the lord of the underworld-"

"No," Sarah said firmly. "After the stunt you pulled with the bears, I honestly don't trust your judgment. "

The Overlord scowled. "My Judgement!? I'll have you know that from my obsidian throne I have judged more spirits on their way to the underworld than you have had days of birth!"

Sarah rose a confused eyebrow at the smaller boy.

"I think he means he's judged more souls that you've had birthdays. So that's at least more than seventeen, if I'm correct?" Eline said rubbing her chin.

"Lame!" Kazuko announced loudly as she puffed out her cheeks.

Sarah shook her head. "Anyway, I think it's best if you stay here for now." She looked at the Soccer Player. "Axel, we could use a third pair of eyes. You come with me and Yumei."

"O-okay," Axel said in a nervous manner as he scratched his cheek.

Emizel gritted his teeth. "No! I wanna go! I'm the ruler of the underworld, you can't stop me!"

Sarah looked to the Seismologist. "Tonbe, please stay here and make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

Tonbe walked to Emizel's side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Emizel," he said with a smile. "I think having a sit down would be good for you; that bump you took looked pretty nasty."

"I'm fine! I'm… argh." Emziel groaned in pain as he moved, irritating the bruise he had developed. "Fine… it seems I am not at full strength at the moment."

"I'll stay too," Eline chimed in. "You boys could use a woman's touch." She winked at them.

Tonbe blushed slightly. "Er, th-th-thanks," he stuttered, rubbing the back of his head.

Kazuko rose her hand in the air, waving it wildly. "OH, OH, OH! What should I do?! What should I do?!"

"You go with Adohira and… where is Adohira anyway?" Sarah looked around. The Wizard was nowhere to be seen, however, the sound of the kitchen door being slammed shut echoed throughout the car.

Eline offered an exaggerated sigh. "Well, so much for full cooperation."

* * *

**9:24 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen Area**

Adohira quickly shut the kitchen door behind him as he stepped into the room. He surveyed his surroundings for a few moments before he spotted a cabinet close to the door. He saw that it was not attached to the wall, so not wasting any time, he quickly grabbed a hold of it and jammed it in between the door-frame and the door's handle, making it impossible to slide open.

A few moments passed as the boy began to search the kitchen, quickly checking each cabinet until he found what it was that he was looking for, a couple bottles of vodka.

The Ultimate Wizard sighed. "Well, this will have to do," he said before taking the two bottles out and placing them on the kitchen counter in front of him. He turned to his briefcase and opened a compartment on the side of it. From it, he retrieved a a sewing needle and a ball of thread.

Adohira frowned. "Never thought I'd be having my first real drink like this, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

He popped open one of the bottles of alcohol and drank just enough for him to feel a buzzing sensation settle in. Then, returning the bottle to the counter, he grabbed a kitchen towel from one of the racks to the side. He stuffed it into his mouth and bit down hard.

He turned on the stove next to him and quickly ran the needle through the flames, sterilizing it. After turning off the stove, he then pressed the ticket against the underside of his left forearm, and gritting his teeth around the towel, he began to thread the ticket into the flesh of his arm.

Adohira's muffled cries of pain carried around the room as he slowly and methodically sewed the ticket into his arm. Specks of blood dripped on the floor as the needle tore through his skin again and again, binding the ticket to his body. Finally, after a few grueling moments, the task was complete.

Adohira panted for a minute as the towel fell from his mouth. "Okay, maybe another sip of booze wouldn't hurt," he said as he took one more swig of the harsh vodka in front of him.

Placing the bottle down, he picked up the towel once more and moistened it in the kitchen sink. He then used the towel to clean up the blood that had dripped onto the floor, rinsing the blood out of the towel in the sink once he was finished.

Finally, he reopened the compartment on his briefcase and placed the sewing kit back inside. Adohira slumped to the wall, groaning in pain as he recuperated from the harrowing experience.

"Well… that's one less thing I need to worry about, hahaha…" he chuckled darkly to himself as he examined his handiwork.

His rest was short lived however as a loud knocking began to emanate from the door and the door's handle banged against the cabinet blocking it. A clear sign someone was trying to enter.

Adohira quickly composed himself, rolling his sleeves back down his arms to cover the still fresh wound on his person. He then gripped the cabinet and pulled it away from the door. Freed from the obstruction, it slammed wide open and Adohira was greeted by the Ultimate Game Designer who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Whatcha doin'?!" Kazuko asked, leaning on the door's frame.

The Wizard sighed. "I was simply checking to see what was in the kitchen. You can't be too careful, not with a killing game currently active, anyway."

Kazuko skipped into the room and looked around it with a twirl. "Did ya really need to lock yourself in to do that? Paint girl was wondering what you where up to." She gasped. "You weren't planning on killing someone already were you?" She raised her sleeve covered hands to her mouth in mock horror.

Adohira rolled his eyes. "If I was planning that, would I really do it now when suspicion would land most easily on my person?"

"Boring!" Kazuko cried out, waving a dismissive hand at him. "You're no fun. I wanna see some action!" She spotted the bottles of vodka on the side of the counter. "What's this now? You replenishing some of that old mana, wizard boy?" She questioned picking one of them up.

"I was simply checking what was in the cabinets," he said dismissively.

"Checking them were ya?" she said, examining the bottle. "This has been opened already and it's clearly not full." She opened the bottle, taking a sniff. "Woah! That is definitely what it says on the bottle. Strong shit too."

"Look, is it really important? I was only checking-" the Wizard paused mid-sentence. He was struck speechless as the Game Designer proceeded to place the bottle to her lips and began to drink heartily from it. In a few large gulps she had drank the entire bottle's contents.

"Yep, just as I thought. Strong shit." Kazuko chortled before letting out a mighty belch.

Adohira stared at the girl, wide eyed and dumbstruck. "Jesus woman. You keep that up and you'll end up the first body."

Kazuko let out a giggle. "Eh, this is nothing for me! You should have seen the after party I held after last year's E3. Five people died!"

"Okay…" the Wizard said with slight discomfort. He quickly composed himself once more. "Anyway, I'm sure you have a lot to say but I'd rather be on my own at the moment. I have to… collect my thoughts."

"Aww! But I wanted to see you pull a rabbit out of your hat!" She rolled her eyes. "And Miss 'I'm the leader now' told me to search the kitchen with you."

"Well you can tell 'Miss I'm the leader now' that the kitchen has nothing in it to keep us warm, other than the oven, but I doubt we can exactly take that out of this room."

Kazuko shrugged her shoulders. "Guess you're right. I'm gonna speak to the others, maybe they have something cool to say."

Kazuko started to head for the door, but just before she left her eyes cast down to the briefcase at Adohira's feet. "Say, what's in the case? A dead body or something?"

"Yes," he deadpanned before shaking his head. "No, of course not. It's none of your concern," the Wizard stated with surprising firmness.

The Game Designer shot him a sly grin. "I take it back. You are very fun, Ado," she mused as she left him alone in the room.

"Ado…" he repeated with some distaste. "Please don't let that catch on," he muttered as he turned his attention to the knives and other cutlery that hung on racks around the room…

* * *

**9:32 A.M Day One**

**Coach Car**

**Seating Area**

Sarah entered the car briskly before returning to where she'd discovered the military uniform some time earlier. She slowly hefted it over her shoulders before securing it, ignoring the musty smell that wafted off of it.

The Ultimate Soccer Player who had followed after her regarded her new attire curiously. "What kind of outfit is that?"

"It's a Russian BDU, I found it when I woke up. I figured I'd take all the precautions I can now before it gets any colder," the Artist remarked.

Yumei strode into the room behind the pair catching the tail end of their exchange. "I see you're already preparing for the worst. I guess we should all be thinking ahead."

Axel glanced over his shoulder at the Monk before returning his attention back to Sarah. "So is it warm?" he managed with a strained smile.

"Heh, well it's not half bad, but if nothing else just having an extra layer will help. Found some money and cigarettes too when I checked earlier. Though neither are really going to prove that useful to us now," Sarah mused.

"Truthfully, even the best solution is only a temporary one. If the cold dips too low, it will only be delaying the inevitable," Yumei pointed out with a thoughtful expression.

"Wait you guys, what about the cigarettes? Can't we, like, heat those up for warmth or something?" Axel suggested as he glanced between the two girls.

Sarah looked over at him with a baffled expression on her face. "What was your ultimate talent again?"

Axel tilted his head in confusion. "Soccer player, why do you ask?"

"Jock, got it. Look, cigarettes don't produce heat, you just smoke 'em. We can burn the Ruble marks but that would only last a few seconds, they would be better used crumpled up between my layers of clothing to be used as insulation," the Graffiti Artist pointed out.

"Oh..." Axel sighed, sitting down in one of the tattered seats.

The Ultimate Monk offered the boy a reassuring smile. "Don't be so glum, there's always a chance we'll find a way around all this mess. Besides, this isn't the worst train I've seen. This car isn't so well kept, but it could be worse."

"Sure, it's not so bad, but I suggest avoiding the bathroom unless you just can't hold it," Sarah advised before gesturing at the nearby shut door.

Axel raised a brow. "What's wrong with the bathroom?"

The Artist offered a dry chuckle. "Let's just say those bears probably don't know how proper plumbing works, or more likely, they just don't care."

"That bad, huh?" Yumei asked as she crossed her arms.

"If it were me, I'd suggest holding my breath if you have to go. Someone hasn't done maintenance in a long time," Sarah remarked.

The Ultimate Soccer Player paled slightly at the implication. "I guess I don't have to go that bad. Though it doesn't seem like there's much else in this car other than seats, trash, and the bathroom."

"Yup, and that's why I'm going to continue looking around. Maybe those sadistic bears missed something we can use," Sarah mused as she eyed the pair warily. "I suppose you can tag along if you want."

"Sure! To be honest, I'd rather keep moving for now anyways!" Axel chuckled before scratching the back of his head. "Last thing I need right now is to be left to my own thoughts."

Yumei eyed the pair a moment before taking a seat. "You two go ahead then. I believe I'll take this chance to meditate and gather my bearings."

The Graffiti Artist offered an indifferent shrug. "Do what you want, I wouldn't get too comfortable though," she said as she started towards the Observation Car.

Axel cast a glance over his shoulder at the Monk before jogging after Sarah. As the pair entered the viewing room he found his voice. "Hey, do you really think it's a good idea to leave her behind like that? I mean, shouldn't we all be sticking together?"

Sarah remained silent a moment as her gaze flickered around the room. She noticed a fire axe locked in a glass box along the wall, several folding metal chairs pointing toward the back of the train and at the far end of the room she saw a large window. On each side of the window were turrets pointed inwards. There was a white line in the middle of the room, separating the window from the rest of the room. There was also a cabinet on the wall.

Finally, she spoke as she approached the case containing the axe. "I'm not here to babysit anyone. Besides, I don't know any of you. For all I know, I'm in more danger being around you than being alone. Safety in numbers doesn't always apply."

"Come on, don't be that way! We're all stuck here, so we should work together. I'm sure we can find a way out of this place," Axel insisted.

"Hate to break it to you, but the power of friendship isn't going to save the day," the Artist responded as she eyed the lock on the case.

The Soccer Player tapped his cybernetic leg against the ground. "Look, I'm not saying it would be easy, but shouldn't we at least try to get along?"

Sarah wordlessly reached out and picked up one of the metal folding chairs before raising it over her head. "Might wanna stand back."

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Axel asked as he suddenly pedaled several feet back.

The girl didn't respond as she simply brought the chair down upon the case, causing it to shatter as glass shards splintered against the ground. She dropped the chair before reaching out to pick up the axe. After a moment, she gestured at the nearby cabinet. "I noticed there was a lock on the cabinet too. I want to know if there's anything useful in there."

"...I can see why you'd want to know, but I'm more concerned by someone being able to use that axe now," the Soccer Player admitted with a nervous expression.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Relax, I know if I start carrying this around I'm going to have a huge target on my head. Once I get that cabinet open, I'm going to toss it over that white line. I want to see how sensitive those turrets are."

Axel stared at the automated weapons with a frown. "I-I guess, but that still seems pretty dangerous. What if they target us too?"

"Jesus man, grow a pair of balls. You can't be afraid of everything. If we just sit on our asses, we're gonna die. It's just that simple," the Artist said bluntly.

"Fine, you make a good point. Can I at least do it?" Axel asked as he eyed the axe.

Sarah hesitated before slowly handing the boy the axe as she took a few steps backwards. "Take a few whacks at it, and if you get tired I'll take over. Hopefully the turrets won't shoot you for vandalism."

Axel slowly approached the cabinet with the axe firmly clutched between his hands. "Gee, thanks a lot. Alright… here goes nothing."

The Ultimate Soccer Player pulled the fire axe back before swinging wildly at the lock. A loud thunk filled the room as it bounced off the lock and the broadside of the axe hit the boy right between the eyes, causing him to stumble backwards and collapse onto the floor. He was unconscious before he reached the ground.

Several minutes elapsed before Axel felt a dull pain and someone tapping his face.

The Soccer Player suddenly sat up. "Huh? W-where am I?!" he exclaimed before seeing Sarah standing above him with an amused expression.

"You're like a cartoon character brought to life. You're lucky that it was the flat of the axe that hit you; I doubt any of the others would believe me if I said you killed yourself. So, you and that hard noggin of yours alright?" the Graffiti Artist asked.

"Y-Yeah." Axel got up, rubbing his head sheepishly as he flashed a goofy smile "Nothing I can't handle!"

Sarah shook her head. "Right, well while you were out cold I managed to get inside the cabinet."

The Soccer Player ignored the faint throbbing in his head. "So what's the verdict? Anything useful?" he asked as he inched towards the cabinet. Almost immediately, he frowned as he noticed cleaning supplies, oil, a wrench, screwdriver, and a hammer. "Have to admit, I was hoping for something special in here."

"Well it's not a complete loss. The oil could be useful for burning to keep warm. We could use the wrench, screwdriver, and hammer to disassemble some of the benches in the sitting area and try to burn them for heat when it gets colder. Though we have to be careful or we're going to suffocate on the smoke."

Axel offered a weak smile. "Great idea, but what about the axe? Aren't you going to discard it?"

"I've been thinking about that, I mean, should we really throw it? It could be a useful tool," Sarah pointed out as she eyed the instrument that rested against the side of the cabinet.

"I don't know..." Axel admitted, hugging himself. "I'm just scared that someone will use it to..." he trailed off.

Sarah nodded. "I get what you're saying. Maybe we should take it to a vote with the others. If there's anything we feel that might be dangerous, we vote and discard it over the line so that the machine guns will keep it out of our hands."

"Good idea. That gives me a little piece of mind," Axel replied as he stared out the window at the white wonderland surrounding the train. "But... it seems like an axe will be the least of our worries in a few hours."

* * *

**9:41 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

Emizel sat glumly at one of the dining tables, with Tonbe and Eline facing him on the other side.

"It's not fair!" he said, pouting. "Treating me like a child. I am Emizel Tanaka, heir to the Tanaka Empire!"

Tonbe chuckled. "I'm sure it's nothing personal. Sarah probably just doesn't want anyone to get hurt. You have to admit, attacking the bears like that wasn't the smartest thing you could've done, right?"

The Overlord sighed. "I admit that it may have been unwise of me to charge into the fray like that. However, there was no way that I could have known that those automatons would possess the strength or speed they had."

Eline offered him a confused look. "Didn't you watch the Hope's Peak Killing game? The bear in that, Monokuma, was clearly a very dangerous machine to mess with. Not to mention some students at the beginning were nearly blown up by it exploding in their faces."

Emizel perked his head up at the Dealer. "Hope's Peak?... Gundham!" he shouted with realization. "The lady in pink… she said something about him being… dead." He grit his teeth.

Eline's face grew troubled. "I'm so sorry, Emizel. Gundham was murdered, poisoned by one of the other students in the killing game."

Emizel growled loudly and pushed himself away from the table, walking away and allowing his chair to fall over. "LIES!" he cried. "I won't believe it! No mortal can kill Gundham, it's impossible!"

Tonbe stood up from his seat. "Emizel please, she's not lying. I… saw it happen too."

Emizel paced back and forth frantically. "No, NO! This cannot be!" He spat towards them. "An illusion! That is what you must have seen. A charade created to fool you into believing Gundham has fallen, it's the only possible explanation! Well I won't fall for it!" he yelled, storming off to a table on the other side of the room.

"Emizel please, you can't-" Elien started to speak, only to stop when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"He's going to have to find out himself," Tonbe said somberly.

Tonbe walked over to Emizel and sat at the table with him. "I take it you really care about Gundham, don't you?"

"Yes... yes I do..." Emizel said quietly. "I apologize for my outburst... It's just that he is basically my brother. He taught me everything... he even gave me this scarf." The smaller boy gripped it tightly.

Tonbe smiled at him. "Well let's hope you're right and Gundham does come swinging in through the window at any moment to save us all."

Emizel gave a small smile to Tonbe, doing his best to act natural again "Yeah!" Emizel jumped to his feet, flashing his cocky, dorky smile once again "I'm sure he will! But until then we must not give in! There must be some way to take back this train!"

Eline walked towards the pair, forcing a smile. "That's the spirit. We can't be too careful, you never know what's going to happen-"

"What's up losers!?" Kazuko asked with a cheeky grin as she strode out of the kitchen.

Emizel narrowed his eyes. "Kazuko? I thought Sarah told you to search the kitchen with Adohira?"

Kazuko waved a dismissive hand at him. "Wasn't anything interesting in there, so I left. He said he needed to collect his thoughts, whatever that means."

The Overlord scowled. "You left him alone in a room filled with blades!? Do you realize what nefarious deeds he could be coming up with?"

Before he could be halted, the Overlord stormed off towards the kitchen.

* * *

**9:46 A.M Day One**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen Area**

As Emizel entered the kitchen, he noticed Adohira methodically sifting through the kitchen, deliberately gathering all the knives, skewers, forks, and other sharp objects he could find into a bowl.

Emizel frowned as he approached Adohira. "What are up to, foul sorcerer? Are you conducting some sort of black magic ritual?!"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't distract me while I'm trying to take stock of all the potential weapons," Adohira muttered unenthusiastically before returning to his task.

Emizel rose an eyebrow. "You mean like this Sword?" he asked as he pulled it out of his magic scarf.

"If you want to add it to the pile, be my guest," the Ultimate Wizard replied in a deadpan tone.

Before Emizel could respond, the door was flung open as Sabankuma waddled into sight. Over his usual outfit he sported a white apron. _ **"What the fuck are you assholes doing! Stop talking and start killing each other!"**_

"Oh, yay. It's Winnie the Pooh's rejected cousin," Emizel quipped as he sheathed his sword out of sight once more.

The bear offered a gruff laugh.  _ **"Geez, like I haven't heard that one before. What kind of retard uses jokes like that? Look, you're putting us to sleep. Why don't you get the fucking lead out and dish out some homicide?"**_

"...No, thank you. I don't intend to be controlled by this little game of yours," Adohira said with a dismissive shrug

"Yeah, we're not gonna kill each other... now make yourself useful and make me some waffles." Emizel snorted as he crossed his arms.

 _ **"Do I look like your maid you fucking faggot?! Make it yourself you piece of shit. Gah, I wish you'd try another stunt like earlier, I'd just love throw your ass off this train!"**_  Sabankuma roared as a tic mark appeared on his forehead.

Emizel bit back a growl as his shoulders tensed. "What did you just call me?"

 _ **"FAGGOT, and believe me, I'm not talking about a pile of sticks,"**_  the bear snorted clearly enjoying his own joke.

Wordlessly, Adohira continued to add various cutlery to his ever-growing pile of sharp objects.

"Just you wait, I'll bring the wrath of the entire Tanaka Empire down upon you!" the Overlord shouted.

Sabankuma rolled his eyes. _ **"Yeah, whatever you say. I'm shaking in my boots. Look, despite not wanting to, I have to start cooking lunch. So why don't you both kindly fuck off?"**_  he suggested as he pulled a chef's hat out of seemingly thin air before placing it atop his caretaker's hat.

"No," Emizel pouted as he stared balefully at the bear.

"Okay, fair enough, but I'll be taking these with me," Adohira said as he seemed accepting of the situation. He deftly scooped the cutlery into his cap before walking out without another word.

 ** _"See, at least the LARPer knows when to do as he's told. You should learn to respect your elders, fudgepacker."_**  Sabankuma walked towards the cupboard and began gathering several smaller appliances out.

Emizel scowled, before eyeing what the bear was doing with a curious expression. "What are you making there?"

 _ **"If you must know, I'm making meat on the bone,"**  _Sabankuma muttered irritably.

"Are sure it's not bone the meat on, or maybe meat the bone on?" Emizel giggled as he clutched his sides, seemingly trying to lighten the mood.

Sabankuma collected a large piece of meat from the fridge and began to season it.  _ **"That sounds like something that asshole who got shishkabobed in Hope's Peak would have said."**_

Emizel frowned, sensing an opportunity. "What do you mean by shishkabobed? I didn't see any of what happened. Maybe you could share?"

A glint appeared in the bear's red eye as it started to glow dangerously.  _ **"I know everything that happened in that game, and I would be happy to share… on one condition."**_

Emizel huffed. "Of course you'd want something in return... and it would be a sucker's bet to not know what it is... But, I will ask anyways... how did it end? Who was behind the heinous game?" Emizel did not expect a direct answer, but he asked nonetheless.

 _ **"Kill someone, pass the class trial and you'll find out everything. I guess you could consider it your bonus prize,"**_  Sabakuma snickered. _ **"It'd be such a shame if you died never knowing what happened to poor Gundam, wouldn't it?"**_

Emizel felt anger rise within him, but he remained calm "Well, unfortunately for you, I won't fall for your foul tricks. I care not for anyone else in that game. I was simply asking out of curiosity. And I, the Supreme Overlord of the Netherworld, will never give into your mortal temptations!" Emizel declared boldly, pointing at Sabankuma.

 _ **"You seem so confident in your answer. Don't you wanna know about the Devas, too? And where they are now?"**_  the bear asked with a wide grin.

Emizel hesitated, but regained his bearings. "Nice try, bear! I refuse to buy into that! I am certain that they are safe and sound with my cousin. I just know they are alive and well, too!" Emizel retorted with a goofy smirk.

Saban finished preparing the food and placed it into a very large oven.  _ **"Believe what you want, kid, even if you have no way to back it up. I mean it's inspirational how trusting you are, considering the company that you currently have..."**_

Emizel frowned "And what is that supposed to mean?"

The Caretaker shut the oven door and made his way to the vegetable counter. He pulled a knife from his person and began chopping carrots. _ **"Well, how do you know that anything they're saying is the truth? For all you know, one of them could be on our side..."**_

"I'm sure everyone here has a demon or two. I, for one, have several. And I do suppose that I would rather die having hope in everyone, than cowering away in despair and paranoia, like you wish for me to," Emizel replied softly, watching Sabankuma prepare the food

 _ **"You mean like when you cried like a little bitch after getting your ass stuffed more times than a Christmas turkey?"**_  the Caretaker asked with a fiendish grin as he poured the carrots into a bowl and started chopping the onions.

Emizel paled as he growled. He just managed to keep his composure despite being visibly upset. "I will not give in to your taunts again," the Overlord said with a clenched jaw. "It seems I have no further business with you, so I shall now take my leave. Mark my words, your day of reckoning will come, sooner or later," he said before quickly heading towards the kitchen door.

 _ **"We'll see about that, won't we?"**_  Sabakuma chuckled darkly as his blade continued to bite into the cutting board with a resounding chop.

* * *

**8 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	4. Cold Snap: Act Two

**9:55 A.M Day One**

**70°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

After their quick search of the train, the passengers all gathered back in the dining car. Sarah, along with Axel, brought in the materials they had found in the supply cabinet and placed them on one of the tables.

"We didn't really find much in our search. The oil may help us make a fire, but in this closed environment all we'd do is suffocate to death on the smoke," Sarah explained to the gathered passengers.

Eline looked over the supplies. "That's a shame, but I do need to ask two things," she said with a curious expression. "Why does Axel have a big red mark on his head, and where is Yumei?"

Axel blushed with embarrassment. "Oh, well I…"

"He knocked himself out with the back of this fire axe," Sarah said, motioning to the axe that stuck out of her backpack. "I know that sounds hard to believe, but Axel really is one of a kind."

Axel buried his head into his scarf. "As for Yumei, she was still meditating the last time we saw her. Not sure if she's still doing that or-"

"IN BUDDHA'S NAME! I have to wait 24 hours to build one roller coaster?!" Yumei's voice carried through the car and she walked in, head buried in her Monopad.

"Err, what's wrong, Yumei?" Tonbe asked with an awkward smile.

"It's this foul game!" Yumei announced, turning her Monopad screen to face the others. On the screen, a game of some kind seemed to be running. It showed a large amusement park with rides and other attractions littered around a map, as well as room to build upon what was already there. "I decided while I was meditating to take a brief look at what our captors had left on this device. Along with a few other programs on it, I found this app called 'Kuma Kuma Land: Tapped for Business'."

A popup suddenly appeared in the game. A black kuma in a fedora, smoking a cigar, came on screen.

"Hey, asshole!" It said. "You gonna settle for being a little bitch like Shirokuma? Well, why not buy some Monocoins and actually make something out of yourself! Buy 2000 for just $99.99!"

She turned the pad back to herself. "I've only been playing for 30 minutes and I've already spent $60 just getting my starting park off the ground!"

Kazuko howled with laughter. "Holy shit, you're one of those idiots that spends all their money on those things, aren't ya?! They aren't even real games, ya filthy casual!"

Yumei shot game designer a death glare with her sole red eye. "Filthy casual?! I have played over a hundred mobile games in my time and have spent more money than you can imagine to achieve victory. I am no causal to these infernal programs and will never let one beat me. No matter the cost!"

Kazuko fell to the ground and rolled around. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! STOP! PLEASE! You're killing me!"

Yumei growled and took a step forward. She would have taken more steps, had she not been blocked by Tonbe.

"It's not worth it. Come on, let's sit down."

Yumei cast her baleful eye at the hysterical girl, before going along with the taller boy.

"We're doomed, aren't we?" Adohria deadpanned with a sigh.

"No, we are not defeated yet!" Emizel said triumphantly. "The tools that the artist has found may not offer much solace to our plight at face value. However, if we were to somehow find a way to create a vent for the fumes of hades, then a fire would truly be an asset against the incoming blizzard."

Sarah shook her head. "It's not that simple. Even if we could get some ventilation, most of this car seems to be made of wood. We'd probably set fire to the whole train."

Tonbe looked back at Sarah from Yumei. "Well, no matter what we do next, we need to figure out some way of stopping this cold and fast."

 _ **"This is just a suggestion, boys and girls, but nothing gets the blood pumping like a good old fashioned murder! Don't worry if you take a bit, that will warm you right up!"**_  Hoshu exclaimed as he suddenly walked into the car.

"Oh no, not him again," Axel said meekly.

Sarah turned to face Hoshu. "What do you want?"

 _ **"What do I want?!"**  _The bear replied with outrage.  _ **"I want to know who the fuck do you think you are, you nosy bitch, breaking into my supply cabinet?!"**_

"That was your cabinet?" Axel said as he paled. "I'm sorry we broke it! We didn't know!"

"Grow a backbone, for fuck sake," Sarah said curtly to the Soccer Player. She looked back at the bear. "Yeah, so what? It's not like that's against the rules, is it?"

 _ **"You've got an attitude problem, young lady… I love it! You're just like my other half."**_  Hoshu snickered.

"Other half?.." Eline said.

_**"Yeah, Saban there in the kitchen. We're robosexuals. You got a problem with that?!"** _

"Err, no, no! We're very happy for you both," Axel responded quickly.

"And Aka is their spawn…" Emizel pondered. Suddenly he realized something. "Hang on a minute, you and Saban are a couple!? The same Saban that called me a faggot?"

Kazuko struggled to control her laughter as she slowly rose to her feet. "This is amazing. This the funniest thing I've ever seen!"

 _ **"HAHAHAHAAA! You got that right, doll!"**_  Hoshu said.  _ **"As for you, Gaylord, there's a great deal of difference between being gay and being a massive gaping assbandit!"**_

Emizel growled as he shot a hand into his scarf.

"Emizel, don't!" Axel shouted.

The Overlord looked over to the boy, before pulling an empty hand out of his scarf. "I swear upon the raging infernal seas of Belial and Dagon that I will bring you all to justice, foul machines!"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Is that everything, cuz if so, could you would do us all a favor and fuck off?"

 _ **"Sure, just one last thing,"**_  the mechanic said with a grin. As he did, the vents in the train stopped with an audible clank. A moment later, they juddered back to life.

"I don't like the sound of that," Tonbe muttered with a worried expression.

" _ **You sure as shit shouldn't! That sound was the first temperature drop occurring. This one won't bother you too much, but give it a few hours and the cold will soon make itself apparent. If I were you, I'd get a murder planned and fast."**_

Yumei scowled as she rose from her chair and took a step towards the bear. "No matter what you throw at us, it shall never work on me. I have vowed to never again take human life, and your petty little schemes will not break me. I would rather die than break my vow!" she declared.

Hoshu shook his head and sighed.  _ **"You're not the first to say that, and you won't be the last." He turned away from the group. "Kids these days never learn, do they?" He muttered to himself as he left the car.**_

Silence gripped the room once more before Eline rose an awkward hand up. "Hey. Listen, everyone," she announced. "I think it might be best if we all take a break. We need to get our heads straight while we think of what to do next."

Tonbe got up and walked next to Yumei. "Agreed. We aren't going to get anywhere like this. We've got to make sure we stay in shape, both in mind and body."

Yumei took a deep breath as she calmed herself down. Her eyes turned to the larger boy, a smirk finding its way onto her lips. "Well, I believe I have a solution to that, Tonbe. I could always use a new sparring partner, and training with me would be a good way to keep in shape. In terms of physical power, the two of us are likely the strongest on board this vessel."

"O-oh, that very nice of you to say... I hope I'm able to keep up with you!" Tonbe exclaimed with a nod and a light blush.

Emizel pouted. "Hey! Don't forget about me!" he said as he puffed up his chest.

"Think nothing of it, Tonbe. With the shape you're in, I'm sure you'll be able to keep up with me just fine. If anything, I expect you'll give me a thorough workout," Yumei said, her smirk widening further. "If you wanted to spar now, perhaps we should do so in a less-crowded car?"

"S-sure, it's a date! Eh... I mean... um yeah. That sounds like it would be good!" Tonbe stuttered out with a huge grin. The two of them then made their way out of the car.

The Overlord crossed his arms. "The monk has the right idea. While I may have the powers of the underworld on my side, I believe that I will need to hone them in order to combat this threat before us." He looked to the remaining teens. "I, too, will need a sparring partner. Do I have any volunteers?"

The gathered teens looked awkwardly at one another. A huge grin came to Kazuko's face as she snuck behind Axel and gave him a shove towards the smaller boy.

"Axel would love to help! He even told me earlier that he got his leg from aliens, so he's bound to have some advanced weapons hidden in there!" She said with a veneer of innocence.

"Wait, hang on a sec! I-" Axel tried to protest.

"One touched by beings beyond the stars? ...You are a perfect adversary! My powers will grow to double their normal potential with your help!" Emziel announced as he looked at the boy with wonder in his eyes.

Axel smiled awkwardly. "Thanks… Glad I can help."

"And help you shall. You will make excellent target practice for my fires of the abyss! Come! Let us raise pandemonium! FUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!" He cackled like a madman as he dragged Axel into the coach car.

"Sure let's- WAIT, WHAT?!" The Soccer Player panicked as he struggled fruitlessly in the Overlord's grasp. The door soon closed behind them.

Eline pouted as she glared at the Game Designer. "You are one evil bitch, you know that?"

"I know, I know…" Kazuko chuckled.

* * *

**10:12 A.M Day One**

**65°F**

**Observation Car**

**Viewing Room**

Yumei walked into the viewing room, idly looking around. She noticed some broken glass on the floor where Sarah had evidently gotten the axe from. It wasn't a big concern at the moment.

"As long as we stay away from that line on the floor, the turrets should leave us alone," Yumei commented after Tonbe followed her in.

"Okay, that seems fine. Any ground rules for this kinda thing?"

"Hm, I think a light sparring match should do for now. Nothing too serious, but just enough so we get to know each other's current level of strength. Does that sound acceptable?" Yumei replied after a moment's thought. "Ah, and I suppose it goes without saying, 'no below the belt hits' unless we're ready to take responsibility for such a hit."

"O-oh sure, I guess that sounds good to me. Uh, since this was your idea, you can go first!" Tonbe said with a thumbs up.

"Very well! Prepare thyself, Tonbe. You shall bear witness to the might of the Raging Dragon School of Kung Fu!" Yumei dropped into a fighting stance. She quickly rushed forward and struck Tonbe before he could react.

"Wow, guess I'll have to be careful. I didn't go to any school or anything. Just kept climbing mountains and junk, so you may have to go easy on me!" Tonbe smiled as he shook off the hit and took a swing, which connected with Yumei's stomach.

Yumei winced slightly at the hit but took it with grace. She winked at Tonbe and said, "Not bad! You've got a mighty strong punch. Makes me curious just how much you can take." With that said, she took a step back and launched forward with a kick into his upper leg. After that, she launched backwards.

Tonbe rubbed his leg and gave a bit of a strained smile. "Dang, girl! You're a bit too fast for me to dodge! This is a good workout, though." He cheered before stepping forward with a punch. The fist collided into Yumei's shoulder, leaving a sharp sting.

Yumei rolled her shoulder and smirked. "Impressive. I might be too fast to dodge, but something tells me you can outlast me in a straight-out fight."

"Thank you, but I promise you it's just from years of field research. Are you doing okay?"

"I find it hard to believe a seismologist, even an Ultimate one, could become this strong just from fieldwork." Yumei wondered aloud, shaking her head in amusement. "And I'm doing all right. I have to say, though, not since my duel with Sakura Ogami have I found someone capable of hitting me… at all, really, let alone with your kind of force. It is quite… refreshing, to say the least! Truly, you will make a wonderful partner for me, Tonbe."

"I mean, not at first. I had learned a lesson about not being prepared, and after that, I started doing some work to stay in shape... But enough about me." Tonbe rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "So you've fought with Sakura before? That must have been an honor. I'll have to work even harder if I want to keep up with your memory of her, huh?"

"Yes, I fought with Sakura at a few martial arts tournaments sometime after I arrived in Japan. I didn't get to know her personally but, from what I recall, she was a proud and fierce woman. I wish I had gotten to know her better," Yumei said with a nod. A smirk graced her lips once more.

"And rest assured, you don't have to strain yourself in that regard, Tonbe. You've already made a lasting impression on me, and I'm sure you'll continue to do so. If anything, my only wish is to make more memories with you. I won't turn down an opportunity to make a good friend… or more."

Tonbe was a bit shaken for a moment, but he vigorously shook his head. "I-I, uh, don't think I've ever met someone like you, Yumei! Heck, I never even got to know kids my own age. Just wish it was under better circumstances..." He looked around the room and gave a sigh. "I guess we're done for now. Want to sit back and talk for a while?"

"Yes, of course. That would be just splendid." Yumei smiled happily at the giant of a man. She walked over to one of the seats before gesturing for him to sit next to her.

He gave a sincere smile and a nod and then followed after her, joining her in the next seat over.

"So, Tonbe, tell me about yourself. What got you interested in your talent?" She leaned back as she gazed over at his muscular figure. "Did your parents work in that field, perhaps?"

Tonbe chuckled before releasing a sigh. "Heh, yeah my dad was a geologist. He met my mom, who's also a seismologist. They were both in college and used all their field research as their dates. Once I came around, they basically roped me into it as part of my homeschooling." He lightly shook his head. "What about you, Yumei? How did you end up in the Dragon's school? Must have been important to you, especially if you've dedicated your life to it!"

Yumei closed her eye, sighing as she crossed her arms. Memories of times past sped through her mind - both good and bad - as she thought back to her time in China. "Well, I was abandoned as a baby. Whether or not my parents didn't want a girl, an albino child, or both, I'll never know. Either way, I was left to die, but a passing monk found me and took me in. From there, I was raised at a Shaolin Temple by the monks, and… well, the rest is history. They were the only family I knew, and I wanted to make them proud, so I learned from the Raging Dragon School of Kung Fu."

Tonbe's eyes widened in shock. "I-I'm very sorry that happened to you. Here I am having only really known my parents... Weird how that stuff works out, huh?" The giant let out a sigh as he leaned forward in his seat. "But either way, your parents missed out on getting to know such a cool girl!"

Yumei gave a genuine smile at that. She reached over with a hand and gently pat his arm. "Thank you for saying that, Tonbe. I truly appreciate it. But, well, part of me is glad that I was abandoned. I never would have met the monks if not for it, and I doubt I would have learned the Raging Dragon, too. There are some things in my life that I regret, or wish hadn't happened, but I do not regret the circumstances that led me to the Shaolin temple. It gave me a better life than most could hope for."

Tonbe looked away as he blushed. "W-well, I get that. I've always wondered what it would be like if I could have had a more regular childhood, but honestly, getting to travel the world has been great!" He idly kicked his right foot as he turned back to Yumei, a bit less flustered. "And yeah, there's a thing or two I wish I could change, though what I learned from it ultimately made me better."

"Yes, learning from one's mistakes can be a good experience. It helps oneself change and grow. Although..." Yumei looked off to the side, her smile dropping as more memories conjured into her mind. Memories that she would rather forget. "...sometimes, there are mistakes that can never be taken back, that do more harm than good. Mistakes that lead you to truths that you never wished to learn."

"Yeah..." Tonbe said as he looked down at the ground. His expression darkened a bit. "I know I don't know you, and lived a completely different life, but... I think you're great in spite of any past mistake," he said nervously as he tried to steal glances at her.

At that, another smile tugged at Yumei's lips. She glanced over at Tonbe with her one good eye, and she reached over to give him a playful slug on the shoulder. "My, you know just what to say to cheer a girl up. You're quite the smooth talker, Tonbe."

The giant boy smiled as he sat back full in his seat. "R-really? Well, I'm glad I could help. I just wanted to be honest," he said as he turned to face the girl.

"Thank you, again. I do appreciate it," Yumei replied, smiling sweetly at him. After a moment, though, she glanced over curiously at him. "I haven't had time to meet and talk with everyone just yet, and some have definitely made certain impressions on me. Tell me, what do you think of our compatriots?"

"Well, I didn't talk to most of them, mainly just Eline and Emizel," Tonbe explained as he rubbed his neck. "Eline seems like a nice girl, while Emizel is like a little kid playing hero, but with more power, I guess. Kazuko looked like she was having fun. Well, having her own kind of fun. I didn't really interact with anyone else, though..."

"A fair assessment. I admit, you and Emizel are the students that interest me the most. Emizel certainly means well, but I fear his bravado and delusions will be his undoing. Although, he does have an… unusual power as well. I do not pretend to understand how he can use actual magic, but it could prove useful in subduing our kidnappers," Yumei said. "Though, perhaps we should use this time to get to know the others better? As fun as it is to talk with you, it would be ideal to get to know everyone as well as familiarize ourselves with one another."

"O-oh yeah. It would definitely be smart to do that." The seismologist agreed with a nod. He stood up from his seat and turned back to Yumei. "But first, how about one more round?" Tonbe asked with a blush.

Yumei stood up in turn, nodding lightly at him as she stretched. "Yes, I think that would be a splendid idea!" She once more took her stance. "Not getting tired, are you?"

"Not on your life," he said with a smirk.

* * *

**10:33 A.M Day One**

**65°F**

**Coach Car**

**Sitting Area**

Axel stood awkwardly in the center of the room as he worriedly eyed the smaller boy in front of him, who was staring him down with a wolfish grin.

"Alright! So, since you are a cyborg, and you like scarves, I have chosen you to be my practice dummy! Be honored, for if you perform well, I might even make you my vassal!" Emizel declared proudly.

"O-okay, then… sounds cool," Axel said, trying his best to sound excited.

"Excellent! Just stand there and be still!" Emizel exclaimed. He crossed to the other side of the room and took a deep breath, before hurling a fireball.

Axel flinched heavily just as it was about to hit him, only to slowly relax as it faded into nothingness. "Heh, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

Emizel grumbled in irritation. "Stupid magic. I'll get it next time, for sure!"

However, despite his best attempts, the Overlord continued to try and fail. He cried out in frustration as he collapsed into one of the many seats. He tilted his gaze away to hide the tears burning in his eyes.

Axel, after gathering himself, sat down next to him. He rested a hand against the Overlord's back. "Hey, now, it's okay. You don't have to be so hard on yourself."

"No, it's not! None of this is okay! I-I don't know about my cousin. As much as I can't believe he's gone, if he is gone, I don't know what I'd do. Then I'm stuck in this death game, and now when everybody might freeze to death, I can't even master my fire magic to help anyone!" He sobbed painfully. "I don't deserve to be an Overlord! Gundham would be so disappointed in me!"

Axel sat still for a long moment, contemplating what to say. "I think… Gundham wouldn't want you to worry..."

Emizel sniffed. "Maybe. But... I'm still a failure. No matter how many kids I have helped liberate over the years, I'm still so weak... I wish I could talk to him, just one more time..." He finished quietly.

He then realized he let more slip out of his mouth than he anticipated to.

Axel tilted his head. "Liberate? You mean save, right?"

Emizel cursed at himself for being so careless. "Uhm, yeah... I saved children from rogue demons of the abyss..." he replied carefully.

"Dude, that's amazing!" Axel said, his eyes brightening up "You've helped people, be proud of that!"

Emizel hesitated at that. Axel seemed trustworthy, so he continued. "Even if it means... that I killed people?" he looked at the ground ashamed.

Axel fell silent for a moment, before continuing. "I mean... it depends... were they... bad people?"

Emizel swallowed. "Yeah, the worst. As I said, they were the foulest of demons."

"..." Axel was silent for a long moment. So many ideas were rolling around in his head. However, one thing was certain in his mind. Emizel was a hero. "I think… your cousin would be proud of you right now, Emizel," he said, flashing the Overlord a sad, yet comforting smile.

Emizel looked at him. "You-you really think so? Thank you... um, I guess since I have said this much, I should tell you the whole truth. Uhm, the reason I started doing what I did, was because... well, I used to be one of those kids... trapped and alone. But, I eventually killed the demon who had imprisoned me... before I decided to start helping kids like me... was it okay that I shared that with you?" he asked timidly.

Axel stared at Emizel in a muted silence once more. Tears formed as he brought Emizel into a comforting hug.

"It's okay," he said softly. "You shouldn't worry. As I've said, you've done great things, and I'm sure Gundham would be proud."

Emizel swallowed. "T-thanks. Truth is, I'm scared... I wanna help everyone, but it's so scary in this situation. Honestly, I don't know why I am even telling you all this... I guess it's 'cause you are super nice... After Gundham left for Hope's Peak, I could not survive on my own, which is how I got stuck in my situation." He paused for a second, before continuing. "Uhm, thanks for letting me vent to you. Please don't tell everyone else about this. I have a reputation to uphold, y'know?" he gave a shaky laugh.

"Don't sweat it..." Axel said. "Your secret is safe with me, I swear."

Emizel gave a genuine laugh, nothing like the faux one he usually gave. "Thanks... I appreciate it. We gotta come up with something soon, or we are all dead... this could be our last day alive..."

"I hope it isn't, man. I really hope it isn't..." Axel said in a thoughtful tone as he stared warily at the countdown timer...

* * *

**11:14 A.M Day One**

**60°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

"Well, you haven't budged an inch after returning from the Kitchen. I'm surprised you're not exploring the rest of the train," Sarah said as she adjusted the military jacket draped over her.

Adohira offered a bored expression and rested his chin against his hand. "What good would that do me? We know the confines of our imprisonment. At this point, walking around in the open just invites danger."

A bemused smirk spread across the Artist's face. "So you chose this place to lounge because Sabankuma is in the Kitchen, right? You're banking on the idea that it's unlikely someone will strike with witnesses around."

"I wouldn't presume anything, but it's true that only a fool would make an overt attempt on our lives here. I suppose with only three train cars open at the moment, there's little room to work with in the first place," the Wizard mused with a shrug.

Sarah offered a quiet laugh as she drummed her fingers against the table. "You're a real piece of work. None of this even seemed to startle you. If anything, you just seem bored."

The boy sighed. "I would prefer to say that I am annoyed, more than anything. I've seen things far worse than a few robotic bears with a penchant for despair. This entire game is just an inconvenience. It's merely an obstacle that must be overcome."

"I take it you watched the Hope's Peak Killing game, then?" the Graffiti Artist asked with a quirked brow.

"Enough to get a gist of what we can expect. No matter what anyone says, a murder will happen. Someone will eventually snap when they become desperate enough." Adohira mused.

A sigh escaped Sarah. "You really are a glass half-empty sort of guy, aren't you?"

"No, just a realist. When push comes to shove, someone aboard this train will choose murder over freezing to death," he said as the door to the dining car slid open.

Eline offered the pair a playful expression. "Getting comfortable before lunch?"

"Something like that. It's not like we have a lot of options at this point," Sarah sighed as she laced her hands behind her head.

"Let's hope no one is claustrophobic, or this motive may be the least of their concerns," Adohira muttered unenthusiastically.

The former dealer offered an indifferent shrug. "I hope that's not the case, either. I don't have the inventory I used to have. Anyways, I'll be back before lunch. I have something I need to take care of," Eline said as she strode towards the kitchen….

* * *

**11:45 A.M Day One**

**60°F**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen**

_**"I'm gonna set the tables, so you better not fuck anything up in here, freak!"**  _Sabankuma groused as he waddled out of the room balancing several trays in the process.

Eline sighed to herself. "Charming as always," she muttered as she rifled through her bag and produced a needle. She slowly approached the sink before rolling up her sleeves.

"Tehehe, what's going on here? You holding out on us, after all?" Kazuko asked as she eyed the dealer with a look of mischief.

"Fraid it's not that kind of drugs," the Dealer admitted with a faint smirk.

The Game Designer laced her hands behind her head. "Oh, but you have some kind of drugs. So what are they? Are you gonna use them for murder?" she suggested with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Eline sterilized her needle. "As expected of a game designer, you have a lot of creativity. I'm not that desperate, yet. These are just hormones."

"Oooooh! So that 'freak' comment wasn't just Saban being a douchebag, huh?" Kazuko asked with a bemused expression. "Hate to break it to ya, but girly boys are so last season!"

"Something tells me you don't have a lot of friends, do you?" Eline asked with a deadpan expression.

The Ultimate Game Designer offered a faint shrug. "Turns out most people just don't appreciate my brand of humor. Heh, as far as I'm concerned, it's their loss. Anyways, why are you worrying about this right now?"

"Since I don't shoot up anymore, this is my way of relaxing. Besides, I'm not gonna change my routine because of this," Eline sighed as she injected herself. "Feel like a caged animal yet?"

"Eh, it's just boring is all. They could have at least given us something to do. I'm more worried about dying of boredom than being killed," Kazuko muttered before shivering slightly. "Though I can't stand the cold."

Eline offered a faint smile. "Heh, you know it's not even cold, yet."

The Game Designer huffed. "Maybe I just have bad circulation. Don't judge me, girly boy!"

"It's probably too late for that," the Dealer playfully snarked.

She then pulled out a small bottle from her bag. Once opened, she stuck the needle into the fluid and drained some of it up. After making sure there were no air bubbles, she plunged it into her arm. She grimaced in pain as she pushed on the plunger .

"Fuck. If there's one thing that'll remind you that you're alive, it's that," she said as she pulled the syringe out of her arm.

* * *

**12:00 P.M Day One**

**55°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

As all of the passengers found themselves back in the Dining area, they spotted a serving table containing various types of food Saban had made. In the center was a huge piece of meat on the bone, surrounded by vegetables such as carrots, onions, lettuce, and cucumber. To the side, there was a pot of mashed potatoes and a jug of gravy. Considering the train was getting chilly, the steaming-hot food was a warm welcome.

Saban stood in the corner of the room, observing all of them. _ **"Lunch is served, fuckheads. Free with some new knives and forks!"**_  he grinned at Adohira.  _ **"The wizard asshole can take as many as he likes, but we've got plenty more where that came from."**_  he said with a wink.

Adohira sighed and dumped the cutlery he had collected onto a nearby table, before slowly making his way to the dinner table. Emizel's eyes sparkled with joy as he rushed to it. Pulling out his sword, he carved the meat on the bone up with skill, and then shoved pieces it into his watering mouth.

Yumei, rubbing her shoulders somewhat for warmth, looked toward the warm food with some eagerness. She didn't sit down right away, however, and glanced over at the bear. Logic dictated that he'd have no reason to poison it, since he personally didn't want to kill them, but rather inspire them to kill each other. Still, she couldn't help but be cautious. When she saw Adohira abandon the bowl of cutlery he had been keeping with him, she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Pardon me, but why did Adohira have all that with him?"

"Hef tryijh to stahp a murrdfr." Emizel still had his mouth full of food.

Kazuko walked up and whistled. "Gotta give it to you, Saban, you're one heck of a chef," she said as she slumped into a nearby chair.

Axel shrugged as he sat down and grabbed a plate with utensils. "I hope it's half as good as it smells, because I'm starving!"

"You really shouldn't be so carefree," Sarah said as she leaned against the wall to the side of the table. "If you want to dig in so quickly, fine. But I'll see what happens before I even think of eating."

"If the bears wanted to kill us, they would have done it when we were unconscious," Tonbe said as he took a seat. "Let's just try to relax."

"Yeah, don't worry so much," Eline said, flashing a smile to the artist before digging in herself. "Tonbe is right, they want us to do the dirty work."

"The food is alright. I've had better, though. Hope it's not poisoned," Emizel muttered under his breath, making a point to avoid the vegetables.

"Yo, this stuff is great!" Axel said enthusiastically. "Who knew a robot bear could be so good at cooking?"

Yumei shrugged, grabbing some of the cutlery from the hat. She'd eaten in far less sanitary conditions, so she wasn't about to complain. Once she took a bite, she found, both to her satisfaction and distaste, how great the food was. It was probably one of the best she'd had in a long time. "Hm. Say what you will about our captors, but it at least appears the food here is somewhat… tolerable."

Setting his hat down beside him, Adohira took a seat. He withdrew a skewer of his own, making sure to clean it beforehand, and then hesitantly stabbed a piece of carrot.

 _ **"I have some recipes from Teruteru programed into my brain, so it better be damn good! Healthy teens need all the strength they can get for murder, after all."**_  the Caretaker said with a smirk.

"Teruteru? Why does that name sound familiar?" Emizel asked before stuffing his mouth again.

Kazuko happily swallowed her food. "Hah, well for a girl used to ordering fast food, this is awesome." She then regarded Emizel. "Teruteru was some fatso in the first killing game."

Sarah rested a hand against her chin as she warily watched the group eat. "I believe he was the Ultimate Cook or something. As Kazuko said, he was in the first killing game. I understand he didn't fare so well."

Axel frowned, and then tried to change the conversation. "So… uh, how have you guys been?"

Yumei rolled her eye as she still considered Saban's words, completely certain there'd be a catch to all this. She shifted her attention to the Soccer Player. "I have been well. Tonbe and I have been sparring and talking for most of our time here. He is quite the charming fellow, I must say."

The Seismologist offered a bashful smile. He rubbed the back of his neck and stared down at his plate. "I-I could say the same thing to you, Yumei. Despite the nature of this situation, there have definitely been some good points."

"Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad," Eline chuckled as her gaze shifted between Yumei and Tonbe. "For instance, at least we have a hot meal. Let's enjoy it while it lasts."

Adohira considered going hungry for the time being, rather than taking the risk, as he stared at the orange vegetable hovering in front of his face.

"Hey, Adohira." Axel looked at him with confusion. "You gonna eat that thing or what?"

"Dude, eat it. It's probably against the rules to kill more than one person anyways. You're totally overreacting." Emizel grumbled to Adohira.

"...Skipping lunch is fairly normal, for many people. It's not like I'm going to starve to death in a few hours." Adohira reasoned, mostly to himself.

Sarah shrugged as she folded her arms. "He makes a good point. I'd rather take my chances and prepare my own food."

"Teehee, or maybe one of you two poisoned the food, and that's why you're not eating," Kazuko joked with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, you got me. Sharp as always, Kodaka," Adohira said in a deadpan manner.

"C'mon, don't be like that. What's the worst that can happen?" Axel said before taking another bite.

"Of course he had to jinx it." Kazuko sighed. "Those are always famous last words."

"You really should eat while you have the chance. In my experience, one should not scorn any opportunity to eat. Sometimes, you never know when you'll have your next meal, so it is best to never throw away the chance to have some food." Yumei looked over at Axel after he spoke. She briefly closed her eye and sighed in discontentment. "And Axel, that is literally the worst thing you can say on a train, let alone during a killing game."

Tonbe offered a weak chuckle. "Let's just try to enjoy our food and not think about that for a moment."

_**"Don't touch any food Emizel does! You don't want to get the gay virus, after all! Phhuhuhuhuhuuu!"** _

The Game Designer slapped at her leg as she nearly doubled over in laughter.

Emizel's eye twitched in irritation. "Wait, aren't you like robo-married to Hoshukuma or something?"

 _ **"Yeah but here's the thing. There's a very big difference between being gay, and being a faggot,"**  _Sabankuma explained matter-of-factly, mirroring Hoshu's earlier comment.

Adohira sighed as he carefully separated the vegetables onto his plate, avoiding any meat. "Glad you're clearing that up for us," he said in a sarcastic manner.

"Ugh, how did we end up discussing bear relations?" Sarah asked with a disgusted expression.

 _ **"I'll have you know that robosexuality is disBEARingly beautiful thing!"**_  Sabankuma exclaimed with a wide grin.

Eline groaned as she shook her head. "You know, I like puns as much as the next person, but you didn't even try."

"Hah, maybe it's for the best. Let's not encourage him," Tonbe suggested as he wiped his mouth.

The Caretaker grinned.  _ **"Ohoho, don't tempt me, kiddos. I'll find puns so horrible that you'll hang yourselves just to make it stop!"**_

"Hey Saban, I have a question. Between you and Hoshu, who is on the top and who is on the bottom?" Kazuko asked with stars of curiosity in her eyes.

The Graffiti Artist stared at the Designer with a baffled look. "Why the hell would you… Where did that even come from?"

Kazuko giggled as she stuck out her tongue. "Aww, come on! I just wanna know who's pitching and who's catching. Someone's gotta be in charge!"

 _ **"Do think we were built with dicks? We're like fucking Ken dolls here! Oh, if only someone could invent the robodick! Then our love would bloom..."**_  Sabankuma sighed as he stared dreamily into space.

"Robots don't have dicks! I mean, that's just crazy." Emizel shook his head.

"...Yet." Kazuko said with a cheeky grin.

Axel slightly turned red. "Can we please talk about something else?"

"I'm sort of curious, where did the idea of a robotic bear even come from in the first place?" Eline asked with a thoughtful expression.

"Wasn't there one in that first broadcast?" Axel suggested as he looked around the table.

"There was a robot in a killing game?" Emizel asked, intrigued

"Yeah, the bear which the three here were based off. " Sarah said as she pointed at Sabankuma.

"You refer to Monokuma, right? I recall seeing such an entity in the first killing game." Yumei replied.

Tonbe rubbed at his chin. "I think there was some speculation that this bear was based off of a mascot that was originally part of Hope's Peak. Obviously, the one's here are ripoffs of the original."

Saban gasped in a dramatic manner. _ **"Ripoff! I am shocked and appalled. My mommy told me that Jesus made me and the bear stork delivered me to her."**_

"We'd all be better off if that stork had dropped you," Sarah snarked as she folded her arms.

Kazuko giggled. "You can say that again! Kursplat!"

"Guys, let's just not think about the bears and all of this mess. Somehow, we'll figure something out. I mean, we're all Ultimates, right? I'm sure we can find a way out together," Axel said in a reassuring manner.

Saban shook his head and looked at the gathered teens. _ **"You know, to speak seriously for a moment, you guys amaze me. Do you realize what exactly is about to happen to you?"**  _The mocking tone in his voice was eerily absent.

"I beg your pardon?" Emizel responded as he raised an eyebrow

Tonbe's expression hardened. "Just say what's on your mind and be done with it."

_**"In five hours, the temperature will be 30 degrees Fahrenheit. That's two below freezing, you know. By the time dinner is served at six, it'll be 25 degrees. Your dinner will be a block of ice at that point. What are you going to do when hypothermia kicks in, just sit in a circle and sing kumbaya? Is that how your family and friends would want you to go? They are so worried about you all You know that, right?"** _

Emizel furrowed his eyebrows. "Gundham is the only real family I have, so no one else would have to worry about me. I can produce fire, too, soooo... I'll probably be fine."

"M-my friends?" Axel whispered to himself with a downcast expression.

 _ **"Will you really be able to keep fire going for, what, Five, six, SEVEN hours? I've seen you try. I know for a fact you'll fail.**_ " Saban looked over at Axel. _ **"And yes, Axel, they are so worried about you. Some of them have been crying themselves to sleep over it."**_

"Don't listen to him, Axel. He's full of shit. Besides, I'm your friend too, right?" Emizel asked softly.

"Yeah… you're right," the Soccer Player said with a strained smile.

Emizel couldn't say anything. He only nodded back, with a light blush on his face and a shine of admiration in his eyes.

"I have no family left. A friend, perhaps… but that is it. Besides, if I am to die here, then I shall welcome my death. I would prefer to live, but not if it means sacrificing the vow I made when I left China. I shall only die with clean hands and a clean conscious. That way, I can go into the next life without regret." Yumei calmly replied, taking a moment to glare at Sabankuma, before returning to her food.

"We're not performers on some stage here, muscle girl. You're wasting your theatrics and platitudes. This isn't the audience for it," Adohira flatly stated.

"Theatrics? How low of an opinion you must have of me. Every word I speak is chosen carefully, and I've said nothing but the truth. Perhaps, unlike you, I know the value of the spoken word, and the weight it carries. And so, when I made a vow to never take another's life, I did not make it lightly. My word is my bond, and I shall keep to it, no matter the cost." Yumei declared, glancing over at Adohira with a frown.

Adohira slowly nodded. "You're quite articulate, nicely said... but it seems clear to me that you don't have as much to live for as most of us do. If you're fine with dying here as you've said, then you'd be doing us all a favour if you went off and committed suicide in some dark corner of this train."

Tonbe clenched his jaw as he rested his fist against the table. "That is uncalled for, Adohira. Don't act like you're so much more superior than everyone around you. We're all in the same position, so you shouldn't look down at her because she has a sense of honor."

Emizel swallowed heavily in silence, stunned by the verbal catfight.

"Yes, and clearly that honor is worth much in this predicament. All I'm suggesting is if she's so graciously accepting death, she'd be better suited to do herself in for everyone else's sake," the Wizard snapped irritably.

"I would rather freeze to death than waste my life in such a cowardly fashion. Though I may welcome death, I will not embrace it if given the choice, particularly through such a meaningless way. To waste one's life through such an act… it is something I could never do. There is a difference between suicide and sacrificing one's life to save others… and I would not hesitate to do the latter. Suicide is the worst choice I could make. There is no guarantee that my death would save the rest of yours, after all. Besides… knowing these foul creatures, would they even accept such an outcome? They clearly want us to murder one another." Yumei firmly replied, fixing Adohira with a fierce glare, before glancing over at their captor with her last words.

"Weak... a very weak-willed response. I was expecting more from you," Adohira slowly shook his head and sighed, disappointment was clear in his voice.

Tonbe frowned. "Where do you get off treating us like we're insects? We're all in the same situation, and yet you seem content on making things harder on all of us. If you don't have anything useful to offer, maybe you should just keep your mouth shut."

"Words from all of you are cheap. Unless you're going to back it up, I'd suggest saving your breath," Sarah said as she rolled her eyes.

Kazuko stifled a giggle. "Ohoho, the tension on this room is rising. I can't wait to see what happens next."

"You have a real twisted sense of amusement," Eline muttered under her breath.

The Ultimate Soccer Player awkwardly ruffled his hair. "Let's just put all of this business behind us. I'm sure we'll find a solution that doesn't involve anyone having to die."

"Hah, with the power of the underworld on our side, we shall overcome this challenge without a doubt!" Emizel boasted with a clear sense of false bravado.

Saban's eye glowed dangerously red. He spoke softly and patiently.  _ **"Now you listen to me. If someone does not die, you all will, I promise you that. Your organs will slow down and you will feel the pain of your fingers and toes dying as the blood stops circulating through them. The last thing you will see are the faces of your friends as they slowly realize that they will never see their homes or loved ones again. I don't care if you say you don't, everyone does. You cannot win. End of story. And if you all die, you know what will happen? We will just find eight others and start this all over again, and we'll keep doing that until we find people willing to play ball. You're not martyrs, you're cowards that will just doom so many other people to the same fate."**_

The vents once more adjusted. The temperature dropped. The chill from the air was now very apparent to the gathered passengers as the condensation from their breath become visible.

 _ **"Hmm, seems like you're all running out of time. I hope, for your and everyone else's sake, you end this cycle before we can start it."**_  He grinned a smile of pure malice as he walked towards the north door.  _ **"Oh, and we'll be checking tickets at dinner. Better hold onto em' or the frigid air on the train will seem like a day at the beach!"**_

The Caretaker's laughter filled the area until he disappeared into the car beyond...

* * *

**8 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	5. Cold Snap: Act Three

**1:00 P.M Day One**

**50°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

Axel was quiet. He hugged himself with his coat, shivering from a mix of fear and the cold.

Emizel swallowed uncomfortably as he was still chilled by Sabankuma's word.

Taking a deep breath, the Monk glared once more at Adohira. "It is fortunate I do not wish to live by your twisted expectations." She abruptly stood up. "I believe I am done with lunch. If anyone needs me I will be in the viewing room." With that said, she walked out of the dining area.

Tonbe shook his head, before rising from his seat. "I better go with her, make sure she's okay," he offered as he cast a disappointed glance at the Ultimate Wizard and followed the monk out of the car.

Adohira blew a stray strand of hair out of his face and stared into the distance, his mind elsewhere. The faint mist of his breath slowly dissipated into the cooling air.

"Hey, Axel... are you alright?" Emizel asked in a shaky breath.

"Yeah… I'm fine. Just... give me a second..." Axel responded quietly.

Eline smiled softly at the Soccer Player. "Axel, please don't worry. We'll get through this, I'm sure. I'm here for you if you need me."

Axel smiled, blushing as he looked at the Dealer. "Aha, thank you. That means a lot."

Emizel offered a cheesy grin. "And I've got your back too! As my vassal, I am sworn to protect you!"

"Th-thanks guys," Axel said, slowly calming down. "I'm… I'm just a bit cold, that's all."

Emizel triumphantly raised his hand in the air, opened his palm, and conjured another fireball in it. "If that is an issue, mortal, I can easily warm you up with my fire!"

Axel's entire body flinched. "NO!" he cried as his body seemed to tense. "It's… it's fine."

Emizel dispelled the fire in his hand. "Wait, Axel... you're not scared of fire, are you?" he asked, concerned.

Axel was silent, his breath noticeably quickening in the mist.

Eline's smile faded. "Oh, Axel…"

"Speaking of fire…" Sarah said, walking to the table. "Adohira, are you absolutely sure that there was nothing that could keep us warm in the kitchen?"

The Wizard shook his head. "Other than the oven which, knowing this motive, probably won't work with the door open, there was nothing I could find."

Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose. Soon her eyes widened in thought. "What can you tell me about the kitchen sink?"

"Large, metal, grubby as all hell. Look, are you going somewhere with this question?" the Wizard asked in deadpan manner.

Sarah went quiet, deep in thought. She turned towards the Soccer Player. "Axel," she said. "I need you to to do a quick favor for me."

Axel slowly turned his head toward the artist. "Yeah? What did you have in mind?"

"I need you to go into the kitchen and check how sturdy you think the sink is," the Artist responded.

The Soccer player slowly rose to his feet. "O-Okay. I think I can do that, besides if I stay moving, it might keep me warmer."

Sarah offered a simple nod. "Good, also while you're in there, could you check if there's anything on the ceiling above the sink? If it's just the wood of the train, I think we'll be good to go."

Axel looked confused for a moment before heeding her request. Without another word he walked into the kitchen, shutting the door behind him in the process.

Emizel raised an eyebrow at Sarah. "What are you planning and why are you getting Axel involved?"

"He needed something to distract himself. He won't be much use if he's a shivering wreck," Sarah mused as she grabbed a plate and loaded it up with some of the leftovers from lunch. "And if you want to know what I'm planning, follow me. We'll discuss it somewhere a bit more comfortable." She left the room, taking a bite out of the food as she walked.

Eline stood up. "I think we should hear this, you coming, Emizel?"

"Yeah, sure," Emizel replied, getting up and following Eline. He cast a glance back towards the kitchen. "I hope he's okay…" He muttered as they both disappeared with Sarah.

As the room emptied, Adohira considered his options. In front of him, his plate of vegetables remained untouched.

"I guess if nobody's vomiting their guts out in another half-hour, I'll give the food a try..." Adohira decided.

Kazuko, who had been silent for a long time finally opened her mouth. "Finally eating?" she mocked.

"Nope, not quite yet."

"Wow, you're showing me entire new leagues of paranoia."

Adohira stifled a chuckle. "You think this is a high grade of paranoia? You haven't seen anything yet."

"Holy shit..." she muttered under her breath "And here I thought that Togami guy had issues, but you might beat him in that regard."

"I know of the Togami family, yes, but I can't say I'm familiar with the individual. I wasn't exactly glued to the Killing Game's screen like some of you may have been..."

"I guess that either you didn't have a strong enough stomach for it, or you might be one of the few people sane enough to not watch it," she chuckled.

"A bit of both, perhaps." Adohira shrugged. "The whole world's gone mad. I simply wish to take care of my final business, and that's that... That's all I need..." Adohira muttered.

"Final business?" She put on a puzzled face "Come on, how can you bring such a thing up so casually? Now you just have to tell me," she pleaded as she stuck out her bottom lip.

Adohira clicked his tongue. "Tsk... I've spoken too much. I guess I'm losing my edge, huh? Must be the cold... and the hunger, I suppose..."

"The latter is your fault," she deadpanned.

Wordlessly, Adohira skewered a carrot and popped it into his mouth. The orange flesh was cold yet sweet. "That should tide me over for the time being..."

"Feeling the poison now?" Kazuko mocked.

Adohira's eyes slowly widened before he clutched his throat and began to make coughing noises.

A few moments later, he slumped down into his chair, motionless.

"Yeah, I played the same move during last year's PAX. It was hilarious, hundreds of fans and gamers pulled out their phones and started calling 911!" She sighed with some bliss. "Good times..."

The Game Designer looked back at Adohira and tapped her chin. "I'll give you an 8/10 for this one."

Adohira remained motionless.

"Okay, okay, okay. I'll play my part too." Kazuko took a deep breath. "OH! Ado, are you okay!?" She rushed to him and started to shake him forcefully. "Ado, don't leave me! Don't go into the light!"

"Stop shaking me. I'm dead. Let me rest in peace," Adohira deadpanned. "And don't call me Ado."

"I wonder... Where does he keep his tick-" she stopped as she heard him speak. "Oh, hey there. It might have worked if I'd kept my mouth shut."

"Tickets from the dead are useless anyhow... Too bad, huh?" Kazuko asked.

"Yup, too bad." Adohira sighed. "Honestly, death seems like a rather attractive option to me. I'm so fed up with what the world's become... Unfortunately, there's just no rest for the wicked." The boy straightened his back and cracked his neck. "I have shit to take care of."

"Your final business, I guess?" Kazuko folded her arms with a surprisingly serious expression.

"Yep. But don't expect me to say anymore. I won't." The blue-hatted boy returned her expression with dim eyes.

"Bummer." She sighed. "Okay, jokes aside, what do you think of everyone on this train," she asked casually but with a small frown on her face

Adohira's hand gently rested on his briefcase, as he considered Kazuko's inquiry.

"From what I've seen... only you, Sarah and possibly Tonbe have any idea what kind of situation we're in at the moment. I guess I'll start with Sarah. I woke up with her, and within a few minutes, she fashioned a shiv out of glass. She's a rough girl, headstrong, probably lived on the streets for some time. Expect her to pull some funny business... she's the type to do so." He paused. "Oh, now would be the time to make sure you still have your ticket, Kodaka."

Kazuko moved her legs a bit, feeling a certain object. "Like I would be stupid enough to get unconscious with just her around... unlike a certain someone," she snorted a bit, thinking of a certain football player. "She really is one of the few people ready for the worst in this game."

The Wizard let out a deep breath. "If that certain someone you're referring to is Axel, then I'll go a step further. He's a dead man walking. He's an idiot, naive, and as such is an easy target. Emizel and Yumei are just a step below him in that regard. Their lack of control over their emotions is either going to get them killed in a fight with the bears, or executed after they kill someone in a fit of rage."

"Oh, that'll be fun to watch! Wonder what kind of executions they can cook up for them?" She rubbed her chin. "And your thoughts on Tonbe?"

"...He appears to be trying to help get things organized, but I'll reserve my judgment for now. He seems to be in control of himself and being the size he is, I doubt anyone will try and attack him or steal his ticket."

Adohira stared intently at the Game Designer. "Kodaka, keep your ticket safe. Seriously. Don't take any half-measures..."

Kazuko smirked. "Don't worry, a woman has her hiding spots," she said, rubbing her legs together. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Adohira replied flatly.

"Oh, nothing. I bet someone as antisocial and paranoid as you should have the greatest plan to keep your ticket safe, no?" she said with a sly smile.

"That goes without saying. If anyone wanted it, they'd have to pry it from my cold, dead body. At which point, it'd be useless anyway." Adohira shrugged.

"Ohhhh, so cool. I might just fall for you." She stuck her tongue out.

"Please don't," he deadpanned in response.

"Don't worry. No way in hell that would actually happen..." Kazuko said with a flat voice. She slowly hugged herself as she began to shiver from the cold.

* * *

**1:15 P.M Day One**

**50°F**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen Area**

Axel inspected the kitchen sink thoroughly, trying to figure out how sturdy of a fire pit it would make. He knocked on the metal, which gave a very sturdy thud as he did so.

"Oh, I hope this'll help with whatever she's planning…" he said to himself, worry in his voice.

He looked up to the ceiling. Above the sink, only the wood of the train was to be found. He sighed with relief when suddenly, he heard the door behind him open. Axel turned around and found himself face to face with Hoshukuma, who was standing in the doorway.

 _ **"And what the fuck do you think you're doing?"**_  Hoshu asked.

Axel put his hands up. "S-sorry! I-I was just washing my hands!"

Hoshu raised an eyebrow.  _ **"You're a terrible liar, you know that, right?"**_

"...Yeah, I've heard that before," the Soccer Player admitted.

The Mechanic sighed as he walked into the room.  _ **"Look, I really don't give a shit what you're doing, so don't let me stop you. But if I were to make a guess, you're doing something that Sarah girl told you to do, right?"**_

Axel went silent as he averted his gaze.

Hoshu chuckled as he opened the cupboard under the sink, pulled out a flashlight, and began to look at the piping.  _ **"I knew it. Why are you even following orders anyway? This ain't the fucking army! Those people don't care about you, you're just a stranger to them."**_

Axel's face tensed. "P-people care about me!" he raised his voice defensively.

The bear looked back at him and shook his head, before continuing his work.  _ **"Oh Axel, Axel. Are you really so naive as to think that no one on this train is planning on getting out of here? I mean, you of all people should have realized by now that there are people out there that don't give a fuck about whether you live or die."**_

"No, you're wrong!" Axel shouted. "Emizel trusts me and… and Eline seems pretty nice! We may not have known each other for very long but we're friends now."

The Mechanic dropped the flashlight he was holding.  _ **"Friends?... Trust?..."**_  His whole body tensed. _ **"What the fuck do you know about either of those things, you stupid boy?"**_  he said with a voice full of bitterness.

There was a moment of silence. Axel felt extremely nervous. He felt like he had struck a nerve.

Suddenly, Hoshu shrugged and his voice perked back up.  _ **"You know what, maybe you're right. I'm sure everyone on this train has your best interests in mind. I mean, as you said; you're all friends now."**_

"Yeah! Yeah, that's right." Axel nodded.

"Sure... By the way, have you hidden your ticket somewhere safe? It'd be terrible if you lost it," he looked at Axel, flashing him a knowing smile.

Axel patted his pockets. A feeling of dread and horror began to fill him as he realized it was no longer there.

"U-uh… excuse me for a sec!" Axel turned around and ran out of the kitchen at full speed.

 _ **"Just make sure you have it by dinner, or you'll be sent off the field! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"**_  Hoshukuma called out to the Soccer Player, his mechanical voice echoing through the car as Axel ran.

* * *

**1:25 P.M Day One**

**50°F**

**Coach Car**

**Sitting Area**

"Are you sure this plan of yours is going to work?" Emizel said as he eyed the artist.

"What other option do we have? As soon as Axel gets back, we'll know if we can go ahead with it," Sarah responded.

Eline sighed. "Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon. Though he has been a while…"

Axel ran into the room with a panicked expression. His gaze flitted around the room as he panted heavily.

The Ultimate Overlord immediately brightened before noting his demeanor. "Woah Axel, are you okay?"

The Soccer Player who seemed on the verge of hyperventilating managed to stammer out a single word. "T-Ticket…"

Emizel frowned in confusion "Ticket? What do you mean-" he trailed off as his eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying you lost it?"

Axel meekly nodded his head before burying his face into his hands. "...Yeah, I-I don't know what I'm going to do."

Emizel stiffened as he bit his lower lip. "Shit. Uh, do the bears know?"

Eline gave a strong look of concern.

"I… don't know but if I don't have it by… dinner..." the Soccer Player managed between gasping breaths.

Emizel swallowed hard. "Look, I don't have it. Though I want you to know, you are the only person on this train I trust completely." Emizel reached into his scarf, and pulled his own ticket out. "I just have mine, see? But I swear on my title as the Ultimate Overlord, we'll find yours!"

"Well, I have my ticket as well," Eline said, pulling hers out of her coat. "Oh, this is awful, who could have possibly done such a thing?"

Kazuko entered the car with a mischievous grin on her face. "My intuition senses chaos. So, who's in deep shit?"

The Ultimate Overlord faced the Game Designer with a scowl. "Unless you have something important to add, shut up." Emizel growled.

"Being upset isn't going to help anyone. I think the best thing to do is search the train; Axel may have dropped it somewhere. You should really have been more careful, Axel" Sarah scolded.

Kazuko burst into laughter before patting Axel on the shoulder. "No way, you've already lost your ticket? Jeez, it hasn't even been half a day since this started. Your future isn't looking so hot."

The Soccer Player stared at the ground before covering his mouth with his scarf.

Eline scowled in irritation. "Ignore her, Axel. I'll help you find it too. Lets go search in the sitting area for starters."

"T-Thank you." Axel managed as he began to follow after the Dealer.

Kazuko sent a dark smirk towards Axel. "Are you sure you can trust them? You know drug dealers are a bunch of criminals and Emizel has spent the most time with you. As far as you know, either one of them could have stolen it."

Emizel growled at Kazuko "I don't care what you think of me, but earlier I poured my goddamn heart out to him. I like him; I wouldn't do that to him. Though how do we know you're not the one who took it? You've done nothing but cause trouble since we've woke up. Why don't you let me search you so we can move on?"

"Yeah, I don't want a scrawny boy like you touching my body," Kazuko snarked.

Emizel growled angrily "Ugh, that's what you're worried about?" the Overlord asked as he hesitated a moment before continuing. "Uhm, you don't have to worry about me groping your body, 'cause... I'm gay..." Emizel admitted so quietly, everyone could barely hear.

Kazuko blinked a few seconds before she smirked. "So the bears weren't just making that up?" She giggled. ""Ho, so rather than wanting to be best buds with Axel, you want to get laid with him?" she suggested with a teasing tone.

Emizel felt a blush coming up on his face, "W-what! That's n-not the point here!" he stammered. "Look, I just wanna help him find his ticket, so... please?"

Kazuko gave a serious pondering face "Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess..." she paused briefly before sticking her tongue out. "Nope! Later losers!" she snickered as she skipped out of the car.

"Fucking bitch," Eline muttered to herself. "We need to get a move on, dinner is in only a few hours."

"Before you go, Axel," Sarah interjected. "What can you report about the sink and ceiling above it?"

Axel rubbed his face worriedly. "Err… Big, strong, and there was nothing above it."

Sarah nodded. "I see. Thank you, Axel." She turned to Emziel. "When you're done with Axel's issue, could you join me in the kitchen? Your ability to make fire could be useful if we have issues starting the fire."

Emizel gave a curt nod before turning to Axel. "Kazuko won't get away that easily, Axel. We'll shake down anyone we have to! Come on, let's not waste anymore time," the Overlord said as he gingerly guided the Soccer Player away.

* * *

**2:05 P.M Day One**

**45°F**

**Coach Car**

**Sitting Area**

"I-I don't know what I'm going to do," Axel breathed as he pressed his hands into his face. "If I don't find that ticket by dinner, I'm as good as dead."

The Overlord offered the other boy a sympathetic expression. "Just because we haven't had any luck so far, doesn't mean we should give up yet. Why don't you and Eline keep up the search, I'm gonna help Sarah see if we can't avoid freezing in the meantime."

"There's only three cars to possibly search, so it couldn't have gotten far," Eline responded with a coy wink. "Let's keep our chins up. Axel and I'll continue combing this room."

"T-Thanks guys, I really owe you both," the Soccer Player managed a weak smile.

"Heh, I have to look out for my subjects, don't I? I'll be back before ya know it!" Emizel said as he stuck out his tongue before adjusting his scarf and moving towards the door.

Axel rubbed at his forehead. "Unh, where do we even have left to search other than here?"

"Well, there's the bathroom and the viewing room. If it's in either of those rooms, I definitely hope it's the latter and not the former," the Dealer chuckled as she peered under a row of seats.

The Soccer Player sucked in a breath as he inched toward the bathroom. He threw the door open before raising his voice so that Eline could still hear him. "O-Oh god, I really hope it's not in here either. Those bears really are slacking when it comes to cleaning."

A chortle escaped the saleswoman as she stood up before brushing her clothes off. "Somehow, I get the feeling they intentionally left it in that state just to cause us despair."

"...Ugh, well I'm definitely feeling it right now, along with my lunch trying to fight its way back up," the boy groaned as he crinkled his nose and inspected the insides of the toilet.

"Look at it this way, it'll be a small price to pay if we find it, right?" Eline asked before biting her lip as she heard some more disgruntled noises from the adjacent room.

The Soccer Player soon retreated back into sight. "Okay, if it's in there I'll find it when I've run out of other options. I just can't think of where else it could be."

"You know, I get the feeling that we may be missing something here. Maybe someone took it from you. Did you come in contact with anyone before losing track of your ticket? When was the last time you remember seeing it?" Eline asked as she quirked a single brow.

"I-I don't remember exactly. My memory is kind of fuzzy. To be honest, I still sort of have a headache from knocking myself out earlier," the boy admitted with a sheepish expression.

The Dealer stared at him with a wide eyed expression. "You knocked yourself out?"

Axel fought down a blush as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah, I was trying to help Sarah get into this cabinet with an axe. I sort of botched it up and the flat of the axe hit me square in the head. I was out like a…" he trailed off before a look of realization dawned on him. "I-I was out cold for a while and I never checked on my ticket until much later. I hate to think this, but what if she used that chance to snatch it?"

Eline offered a thoughtful expression before nodding. "It's completely possible. It would explain why we've had no luck finding it either, if she's concealing it."

"Eline you're amazing! You may have just saved my hide!" the boy laughed as he jogged forward before pulling her into a tight hug. "Seriously, thank you so much. If you're right, I uh... definitely would like to make it up to you."

"Sorry Ax, you're barking up the wrong tree. But I guess I can let you down with a consolation prize, at least," Eline mused as she leaned forward and gave the boy a quick kiss on the cheek. She slowly slipped out of his grasp before favoring him with a smirk. "You're not a bad guy, Axel. If you can make it through this you'll probably make someone pretty happy. You just have to be more cautious going forward. Before we go off and assume the worst about anyone, let's give the Viewing Room a once over, alright?"

The Soccer Player blushed slightly as he rubbed at his cheek. "Y-Yeah, I think Tonbe and Yumei headed back there. Maybe if we're lucky, one of them saw something."

Eline grinned. "We can certainly hope. Like I said before, there's only so many places left to search. Whether it's there or on Sarah, we'll find it."

* * *

**2:35 P.M Day One**

**45°F**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen Area**

Sarah entered the kitchen and looked around. Satisfied that the bears were not in the immediate area, she began to move towards the sink. The cold felt likes knives in her fingers as she gripped the sink's basin and attempted to climb atop it.

Her first attempt was a failure as she slipped on the wet and freezing metal and landed painfully on her back.

"Aw, fuck…" she grumbled as she rubbed her back.

"That seems kind of counterproductive, ya know?" Kazuko's voice could be heard as she walked into the kitchen. She was hugging herself and shivering slightly as the mist from her breath flowed freely.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Look, I have to get directly under that ceiling and this is the best spot." She painfully got herself back up on her feet. "If you insist on being here, then at least give me a hand getting up there."

The Game Designer walked towards Sarah as the artist began to try and get back up onto the sink. Kazuko gave her a boost up but Sarah was still clearly struggling.

"God damn it! Kazuko, push harder!" Sarah grunted.

"You know, if you weren't such a fatass this would be much easier," Kazuko snarked through gritted teeth.

Suddenly, Emizel rushed into the kitchen. "Sorry I'm late. Axel is in a real bad place. He still hasn't found his ticket."

"Never mind that for now. Help Kazuko and hold my legs for support. The last thing I want is to fall over and land on this axe," Sarah responded.

"Ugh, fine. Let's go," Emizel grunted, trying to help her.

The two gave the girl a boost and soon she was on top of the sink, looking upwards.

After stabilizing herself, Sarah looked back down at the two. "Okay, I'm going to cut a hole in this roof. Once that's done we need to go back to the other cars and collect as much wood as we can. Then we place it in the sink and set it on fire with the oil. That should buy us some time. Everyone got that?"

"Yeah, I think so," Emizel responded.

"Whatever, just get this over with! It's fucking freezing!" Kazuko snapped.

Registering their responses, Sarah looked back at her target, raised her axe, and swung at the ceiling.

The axe struck straight through the wood but then hit something past it with a very loud "CLANG".

Sarah grit her teeth and jumped down from the counter. "Son of a bitch, they reinforced the roof with metal. I'm guessing they did that with all parts of the train," she growled.

Emizel sighed. "So much for that. Time for plan B"

Emizel held out his hand and summoned a fireball. However, as soon as the fire was conjured, an alarm bell started blaring and the sprinklers in all the cars of the train started to pour down freezing cold water.

"What in the nine hells!" the Overlord shouted in disbelief as his sword fell out of his scarf.

Sarah grunted in frustration as she tasted some of the water. "It's... salty?"

"Great..." Kazuko said sarcastically. "Wait a minute. Why have the sprinklers activated? You've already done this before, haven't you?"

"I don't know," Emizel said through gritted teeth "I call bullshit! They're just trying to kill us at this point! So much for their 'rules,'" he finished sarcastically.

"Being wet and this cold with the fans running... Yeah, if we don't find heat we won't survive the night," Sarah said.

Without any warning, the speakers crackled to life and Sabankuma's voice echoed through the car.

 _ **"New policy in place! Can't have you starting any more of those dangerous fires. So, until this motive comes to an end, you will all be able to enjoy a nice shower of salt water! The salt is also blessed against demonic powers, such as Gaylord's over there! So, if you want this motive to end, be good boys and girls and FUCKING KILL SOMEONE!"**  _The speaker shut off.

"Looks like there goes the fire ideas," Sarah said flatly.

Emizel growled, picking up his sword and sticking it down the back of his pants. He then jammed his ticket into his pocket. "They know I can just heat myself up, so this is aimed even more so at me! WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME?!" he screamed in frustration before rushing out of the kitchen.

"I need some time to think alone," Kazuko said blankly as she turned and followed after the boy.

Sarah growled as she stared at her axe with a flat expression. "This may only end one way."

* * *

**3:05 P.M Day One**

**40°F**

**Observation Car**

**Viewing Room**

Yumei sat in the center of the viewing room, her legs crossed deep in meditation. An intense aura seemed to emanate from her, as if a fire burned inside of her, waiting to burst out.

"Are you okay Yumei?" Tonbe asked as he observed the girl. "You haven't said anything since we got here, and it's been a while now."

Yumei's aura seemed to die down as she opened her eye. "I'm fine. I'm just trying to forget Adohira's useless words," she proclaimed as she took a seat beside him.

Tonbe took a deep breath. "Forget about him. People who act like they're better than everyone else aren't worth your time."

"It is clear that Adohira and I have a clear philosophical difference. That itself is not bad, but the way he… disagreed with me riled me quite a bit," Yumei replied, shrugging slightly. "Suffice to say, he has not made a good first impression with me."

"Well I can't say he made one with me either, but let's try to put that behind us. We could spar again, or maybe just talk some more, probably be good to blow off some steam," the Seismologist offered.

"That sounds lovely. A spar would be quite nice, I think. Though why don't we talk a little as well?" Yumei suggested, standing up a moment later. "And if we truly need to… huddling together for warmth can also help us conserve our body heat. Regardless, why don't you make the first move, Tonbe?"

At the mention of huddling together, Tonbe began blushing vividly. He took a moment to compose himself. "Y-yeah... I guess that would be fine. So nothing too aggressive, right?" he asked while walking into place until he stood opposite of Yumei. He gave a nod before starting to close the distance with a swing of his fist.

Yumei nodded at his words. When she saw Tonbe charge forward, she only just managed to dodge, though his fist did clip her shoulder. She smirked at that, stepping backward as she considered her own move.

"So, Tonbe, color me curious. In your travels, have you had a favorite destination? Any place you've visited that you'd be keen on going to again, perhaps?" Regardless of his answer, she chose to move in then, dashing forward as she kicked her leg out to hit his side.

The giant caught the hit in his ribs but moved around her. "W-well, if I had to choose, I would say either my home in Barbados, that place just feels like a summertime paradise, especially now," Tonbe explained as he took the time to put distance between the two of them. "The other place would really be just about any mountain range. The view is always beautiful, and climbing makes for amazing exercise," he explained with a smile.

Yumei nodded at that, as she started circling around Tonbe. She waited for his retaliatory strike as she considered her options. "Well, perhaps if we get out of this place, I should travel with you. I've been meaning to travel outside of Japan for some time, to see the rest of the world. After living in a monastery most of your life, one cannot help but get a little anxious to explore, to see what else is out there. I also admit I'd be eager to try some foreign games, as well. Western mobile games, in particular, have rather intrigued me."

"Yeah, I've never been in one place too long. Wondered what it was like, but honestly, I wouldn't give up traveling just yet. S-so I'd lov- like to have you come along with me," Tonbe stuttered as he shook his head. He started closing in while signaling a right punch before changing up his footing to perform a roundhouse kick from the left side.

"Well, I look forward to it then, Tonbe. So long as we stay far away from China, I'd enjoy myself quite a bit," Yumei replied, smiling gratefully at him. She managed to catch his feint at the last second, catching his kick with her shoulder. It still stung, but less so then if it had hit her unprotected side. "Hm. It must be nice, to have a home to return to. I rather wish I could do the same."

"Though after the Tragedy, I wouldn't say I have a home outside of the country itself to return to."

Tonbe dropped his guard for a bit, before trying to readjust his stance. "T-that is really upsetting to hear, Yumei. It must have been tough to leave your monastery. Are you alright?"

"I am fine. I've had years to come to terms with things. Though, it wasn't as if I had a choice about leaving my monastery," Yumei replied. She slowed down for a moment, a thin smile spreading across her lips. She regarded Tonbe for a moment, before deciding to tell him some of the truth. "I'm an exile, Tonbe. The government of China declared me a religious zealot and a political dissident. I can never return to China, so long as the Communist Party retains control. If I do, I will most surely be executed."

Tonbe cast his gaze to the ground, his stance abandoned. "I feel like a spoiled kid. I've had it m-mostly easy my whole life. Not that my family was ever wealthy, just got to live without that kind of conflict." He looked back at her with a strained smile. "I thought if I was able to get better and better at predicting earthquakes, I could help spare people from the unavoidable. But I feel like I'm just an observer, while you've had it so unfair. I'm sorry."

"It is fine, Tonbe. You are not at fault here," Yumei was quick to reassure. She walked over, gently patting him on his arm. "Believe me, I've made peace with my exile. I've vowed to continue on the legacy of my monastery, and perhaps one day… I shall take an apprentice, and continue the school of the Raging Dragon. Regardless, there's nothing you need to feel sorry for. Killing Game aside, I'm quite happy with my new life. The lives lost along the way were… regrettable, but I've done my best to come to terms with it all."

Suddenly, the two were taken aback by an alarm bell. It was blaring loudly as the sprinklers on the ceiling started pouring down water. The water was freezing cold and almost instantly soaked them to the bone.

Tonbe's eyes snapped away from Yumei, up towards the roof. "Oh, come on! This is just ridiculous. How desperate are you bears?" He looked back to the Monk. "Guess we can't catch a break, huh?"

Yumei started shivering like a leaf in the wind. Her robes were soaked by the cold water, making them cling to her skin. Her one eye briefly glancing up to glare at the ceiling, a variety of curses ready at her lips to lash out against their captors. She kept her calm though, for the moment at least, as she brought her hands to clutch at her shoulders.

"W-Well, I g-guess I'll be n-needing your warmth af-after all, it s-seems." she stuttered out, her voice shaky and stuttering from the cold.

"O-oh, of course." Tonbe took a deep breath as he stepped toward the girl and encircled her with his muscular arms.

"S-so s-should we find a place to sit or..." The Seismologist was beyond flustered. Despite having more exposed skin, he seemed to be managing the cold very well.

"Y-Yes, a place to sit would be l-lovely," Yumei stuttered out. She could already feel her lips turning blue, while her body continued to be racked with shakes and shivers. She pressed herself against Tonbe, eager to claim whatever warmth he could offer. She was amazed at how well he was taking this, despite practically not wearing a shirt. A fact that, normally, she quite appreciated. "Th-though maybe I should… g-get out of these robes f-first," she considered. It wasn't as if staying in her robes to protect her modesty would keep her any warmer. "A-As long as you d-don't mind a h-half-naked girl in your l-lap, Tonbe..."

Tonbe's face darkened greatly as he walked with her over to the chairs. He offered a meek nod and looked away to give her some semblance of privacy. He looked completely flustered but remained calm, at least, against the onslaught of water.

Yumei didn't take long to shuck off her robes, leaving her in just her wrappings, which covered up her breasts, pelvis area, and her feet. She laid her robe across some seats, leaving it there for the moment before she walked back over to Tonbe. "Well, I-I'm ready to s-sit when you are, Tonbe."

Tonbe took a deep breath as he sat down. He looked over her, first with some embarrassment, but he couldn't help himself from finally settling his eyes on her full form. Her body was very muscular and fit for a woman of her size and age. "I-I guess your training has been good too, h-huh? I almost couldn't tell you were so fit until we started sparring."

Yumei got on top of Tonbe, practically spooning with him in the seat as they settled against each other. She settled against him, pressing against his chest as she sought to get any warmth she could from his body. At his words, a small smile spread across her lips. "Y-Yes, my training has been very good for my body… I-I'm nowhere near where Sakura was, but I'm quite… f-fit for my body type, or so I've been t-told. And I s-see you're quite h-hard, Tonbe...y-your body, that is. I can really f-feel your muscles, now. Your o-own workout h-has really done w-wonders for you."

"Y-yeah..." The large man wrapped his arms over the top of her shoulders to keep as much rain off, pulling her closer in the process. "S-so I guess the plan is to just stay like this till we die, or the water runs out."

"I-I suppose. I would have liked to chat more with the others, but… well, I don't f-feel like g-going through the t-trouble right now. I'd r-rather stay h-here with you," Yumei admitted, snuggling in closer to Tonbe. She remained silent a moment longer before she spoke up again. "You kn-know… we h-haven't known each other very l-long, Tonbe… but, well, w-we might die t-today. If t-today is my last, I would n-not mind… having some f-fun before the end. If you are comfortable w-with the idea, then… I would l-like to be intimate w-with you, Tonbe. If n-nothing else, we can take our m-minds off of this, a-and share a m-moment of happiness with one another."

Tonbe unexpectedly gave a small chuckle. "I spent so much time alone, hoping or maybe praying for even just a friend. Let alone a g-girlfriend. And of course, the only way I'd get to meet an amazing girl like you would be at the end of my life." He tried his best to center himself and meet her eye. "I guess what I'm saying is, if I'm going to go, it might as well be enjoyable, right?"

Yumei stared back at him with her one eye, a smile coming onto her face after a moment. For a brief moment, she was able to forget about the wetness and cold that clung to her body. "Yes… I couldn't agree more, Tonbe. If we do die this day… perhaps we shall meet again in the next life, and have a better chance to get to know one another. Certainly, I'd enjoy that. At any rate, I'm more than happy to be your 'girlfriend,' Tonbe. So then… why don't I go ahead and take everything off, hm? I don't think I'll need my wrappings anymore, at this point."

* * *

**Lemon Warning**

Tonbe gave a more serious nod than ever before. He reluctantly ended the embrace against Yumei and let her stand. The Seismologist briefly looked over her again, before he began taking off his clothing as well. His vest and bandanna were placed to the seat next to them as he moved to his boots. He paused for a moment at his right boot, but after a few seconds, he removed the footwear, revealing a mangled and heavily burn-scarred right foot. Tonbe didn't spend time thinking about it and stood up to remove his pants.

Yumei idly looked over at Tonbe as he began to undress, taking in the sight of his completely bare-chested, shirtless body. Her eye then strayed down to his feet, and she raised an eyebrow at the sight of his injured foot. She decided It wasn't her place to question it, given the fact she only had one eye.

After that, she let Tonbe be, taking her own time to fully undress. Her wrappings were placed along with her robes, leaving her nude, muscular form revealed to Tonbe: the giant of a man able to see her from behind first, before Yumei turned around, revealing herself entirely to him. For her part, Yumei smiled at him, her eye taking in his own nude form before she slowly approached him...

Tonbe stood looking over Yumei's entire form, though mostly found himself coming back to her muscular stomach and then to her full and shapely torso. As she approached him, his large arms reached out to encircle her once more as he found his gaze locked onto her eye. Tonbe sat himself down onto his own pants before helping Yumei take a position onto his lap, while one of his large hands began to caress the side of her face.

Yumei settled into Tonbe's lap, a smile on her face as she unashamedly checked out his nude body as she rested against him. She reached down with a hand, following Tonbe's thigh, until she reached his crotch. Her slender fingers were quick to reach out for his member, grasping onto it in quick order. "My, you seem to be the perfect size for me," she couldn't help but tease, even as her hand started to glide along his length. At the same time, she leaned into his touch, enjoying the feel of his large hand cupping the side of her face.

"I-I..." Whatever he was going to say died in his throat, as he found himself lost in the sensation for a few moments. If I don't follow her example and be a bit greedy now, then when? he thought to himself. Tonbe placed his other hand on her hip. It slowly moved its way behind her until he grasped a large handful of her well-toned ass. The hand on her face also moved around the girl, as Tonbe leaned in forward to meet his lips against hers.

Yumei moaned at his touch, a spark of warmth ignited in her body despite the present cold. She kissed him passionately, clearly experienced and eager. At the same time, her hand continued to slide along his shaft, getting a feel for him, as well as teasing his body further. After a moment, however, she pulled away from the kiss. With a sly smirk on her lips, she said, "I think… I am ready for the main event, as it were. And it sure feels like you too are ready, Tonbe."

Tonbe gave a shaky breath as he tried to center himself. "I-I guess this just another thing you're more practiced at than me, huh?" he breathed out as he took his hand away from her head and rested it onto her muscular thigh. He gave a soft moan as he decided to satiate some building curiosity. His hand glided along her leg until it found itself at her crotch as well. Carefully, his hand moved in and slowly came into contact against the entrance. His index finger began to gently message against her clit experimentally. "S-seems like you don't mind taking the lead. Which is good. Before today, I've never even talked to a girl..." His eyes returned to her beautiful crimson one. "I-I'm ready, just nervous I'll disappoint you..."

Yumei gave a breathy, satisfied sigh as Tonbe started pressing his fingers against her. Her eye fluttered slightly at his touch, while her body shivered and shook; mostly from the cold, granted, but some of it was also from Tonbe's inexperienced, but welcome teasing. "I hope you don't mind. I have… partaken in pleasures of the flesh before," Yumei murmured. After leaving China, she'd done a lot the monks likely wouldn't have approved of, but it was what she wanted all the same. "Well, it seems you're going to experience a lot of firsts today, Tonbe. And worry not; I am sure you will not disappoint me at all..." With that said, she carefully brushed Tonbe's probing fingers away so that she could get herself ready. She adjusted herself on his lap, using one hand to angle his member just right. Then, slowly but surely, she began to press herself against him: lowering herself onto Tonbe as he entered inside of her.

A jolt of pleasure shot through Tonbe as he took a shuddering breath. "I-I don't have any complaints that you know what you're doing, that you know what you want." It barely registered in his mind that he was finally starting to feel the effects of the cold, his feet especially. The water raining down on them was lost to the feelings of Yumei's toned body pushing against his own. Instinctively, his hands wrapped around her sides, both to help keep her aligned and still grab at her backside. As Yumei started to bring herself down onto him, Tonbe began to raise his pelvis to reach deeper into her.

Yumei shuddered, gasping aloud as she felt Tonbe's member drive deep inside of her. She took a moment to adjust, closing her eye briefly. Then, she started to move, slowly bringing her hips up and down Tonbe's lap. Her breath quickening in pace as she straddled her newfound lover, the pleasure she experienced was able to push away the feeling of the cold, if just for the moment. "W-Well, I can't imagine this is how… you saw your first time going," Yumei replied, wrapping her arms around Tonbe's upper shoulders. "I-I just hope… this feels good for you, too..."

The friction of their shared bodies distracted him from the cold nipping at him. He took his hands off of her hips and traced them up her torso. He began groping at the Monk's breasts, having his thumbs press down and knead against them. "I didn't know what to expect for my first time. It felt like it was so far off," Tonbe mused as he tried to match her pace. He took a moment to revel in the feeling as his length pulled against her inner walls. "T-this is better than anything I could have ever imagined it to be."

Yumei groaned, biting her lip as she felt Tonbe grope her breasts. She pushed her chest against him, reveling in his touch, while her hips continued to rise up and down on him. The feel of his shaft thrusting harder and harder at her, probing her very core, sent a shiver down her spine. That shiver could have come from the cold and water raining down their bodies, granted, but it wasn't just that. "W-Well, I am very glad to hear that," Yumei replied with a smirk, leaning in to kiss Tonbe once again. Only now, though, did the idea of protection occur to her: but just as soon as it did, she dismissed it from her mind. It wouldn't matter at all if they died today. And if they lived… well, that was something to worry about later. "Are you… getting close, Tonbe?" she asked a moment later. "Because it feels as if I am."

Tonbe have a shaky nod. "I'm barely hanging on. I was afraid I'd go off just as we started." He gave a low chuckle as he felt his hips buck forward. He leaned in again to steal another brief kiss from her. The feeling of her breasts forced against him created a warmth that washed over him, fighting back the cold momentarily. A quake sent out from his member told him it was close to finishing. Tonbe was struggling to hold it back. He let out a heady breath trying to steel himself as he kept up with the thrusts. He wanted desperately to satisfy Yumei since she had yet to fail to impress and overwhelm him. "I-I can't hold out anymore..." he moaned. Ecstasy began to surge through his body as he gave one last thrust deep into Yumei's core.

Yumei's breath became more erratic and shaky, her hips continuing to thrust against Tonbe in tandem with his own. She could feel her own body getting closer and closer to its climax: if anything, hearing Tonbe's words and moans only spurred her body on further. All it took was one last thrust into her core to send her over the edge, as well. Yumei quickly pressed herself against Tonbe one last time, biting her lip as she reached her own peak.

Tonbe's hands peeled away and met behind her back as he matched the embrace. There were some long, tender moments as both of them rode out their respective waves of pleasure, before the bitter cold of reality brought them back to each other. Tonbe reached a hand up to brush aside the long, wet locks of hair that clung to Yumei's face. "I was going to say I don't want to be too forward, but that ship has probably sailed," Tonbe whispered in an amused tone as his hands began making slow circles against her back. "This killing game is one of the worst things ever. But getting to meet you and you being so kind and patient with me. It's probably the best thing to happen to me." Tonbe carefully but effortlessly lifted Yumei up as he stood briefly to get into a more comfortable position in his chair. As he settled, his mind only now reminded him about using protection. His body shook in a flinch as he slowly felt panic build up in him. "Y-Yumei, I d-didn't use a... well, even have a condom... I guess if we make it past this, it's going to be something we need to talk about. I'm sorry." His confidence was lost.

"I'm glad to have met you too, Tonbe. If I die here, whether it be today or another day, then I'm glad I at least met you along the way," she replied, leaning more into his embrace. The feel of Tonbe effortlessly lifting her up alarmed her for a brief moment, but Yumei soon adjusted to that, an amused smile left on her face. That hadn't happened in a long, long time, suffice to say. At his panicked words, she merely reached up, gently caressing his face. "Worry not, Tonbe. If we die here, then it won't truly matter. If not… well, we can always discuss it when it becomes prudent. For now, please do not worry. Let us simply enjoy this moment of peace while we can."

Tonbe sighed as he started to shake less. He smiled as her hand came into contact with him. "You're right, no sense worrying about it now." He leaned forward and planted a short kiss on her forehead. He sat back in his chair, just enjoying the contact of their bodies together, and what warmth it did offer against the cold.

**End of Lemon**

* * *

**8 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	6. The Cold Snap: Act Four

**3:48 P.M Day One**

**40°F**

**Coach Car**

**Sitting Area**

The Ultimate Soccer Player suppressed a chill from the cold and dampness as he made his way into the Sitting Area. His eyes widened when he noticed Emizel sitting in a chair sobbing. The Overlord's entire body was shivering and his sword lay on the ground in front of him.

"Hey… are you a-alright?" Axel stammered out behind chattering teeth as he knelt beside the distraught boy.

Emizel, realizing he was no longer alone, shot up. A look of embarrassment before biting his lower lip. "N-no, it's so cold. Oh god, I'm gonna die!" He choked out in between sobs.

Axel swallowed his own anxiety and rested a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Emizel, don't say that. We're gonna make it through this, I promise."

Emizel sniffled as his body trembled. "S-sorry, I'm just so scared... they're using holy water to shut off my powers... the last time I was without my powers was... was... when I was a slave!" he choked out painfully.

The Soccer Player fell silent before loosening his own scarf and jacket and handing them to Emizel. "Here, I tried to use the stove to dry these off. I'm not sure it's much help with these sprinklers, but it should still be a bit warmer than what you're wearing."

Emizel looked at him, stunned. It was at that moment, he realized how childish he was being. "N-no. I can't take that. I promised I would protect you at all costs. I'm just being selfish. Keep it, please," Emizel said sadly. "I-I'm sorry, I'll try to be better than this. I don't wanna let you down!"

"Don't be silly, you could never let me down. Besides, I-I think we should look out for each other instead of you just looking out for me," Axel said as he offered the shorter teen a warm smile.

The Overlord wiped his eyes while weakly smiling. He squeezed Axel's scarf and draped it back over the Soccer Player's neck. "Heh, I-I guess you're right. But I think this looks better on you, and this way we can be scarf buddies. Uh, if you'd like to snuggle though, maybe we could do that to keep warm?"

Axel offered the other boy a reassuring smile as he took a seat next to him. "I'd like that. No matter what happens, we'll do our best to stick this out," he said as he pulled Emizel into an embrace.

Emizel blushed heavily as Axel drew him close. And his blushing mercifully brought heat to his face, making him feel slightly better. "Um, Axel? Are... are you scared of dying?"

The Soccer Player fell silent for a moment. "I still haven't been able to find my ticket, so I know what that probably means. For now, I'm just trying to not linger on it, so I don't have another anxiety attack. L-Let's just try and keep our minds off of that for now."

Emizel eyed Axel intently and noted the tension in his body. He knew all too well that the other boy was repressing his fears in order to comfort him. It was only fair that he repaid the favor. "I think... No, I know Gundham would like you. He always values life, not just of humans but animals as well... and if he met you, your kindness would probably make him declare you one of his vassals or something," Emizel said with a small laugh. "What about you, Axel? Do you have any pets?"

"Y-Yeah, I love animals. I had a dog back home," Axel mused with a thoughtful expression.

"Oh, that's so cool! I wanted a dog when I lived with Gundham, but I was too low level a demon," Emizel replied with a laugh. "But... um, I... really like little bunnies." Emizel said, clearly embarrassed "I called him Lucky. He was my little buddy..." Emizel trailed off.

"Hey, I-I'm sure he's in a better place..." Axel said while patting the smaller boy's back in a reassuring manner.

Emizel frowned slightly upon realizing he'd derailed the conversation once more with something morose. "S-sorry, I did it again... ugh, I'm so bad at this," he admitted with a slight pout. "Um, is there anything you wanted to talk about, Axel?" He asked

The Soccer Player was quiet for a few moments as he leaned against Emizel. Finally, he spoke as he tried to keep his body from shaking. "What… what is your cousin like?"

Emizel smiled faintly. "Well, he isn't just my cousin, he is like a brother. He... he took me in when everyone else rejected me." Emizel said softly. "He was so kind, and he taught me everything. We lived off the land in the woods, just us, animals, and nature. But then one day, Hope's Peak asked him to attend as the Ultimate Breeder. Even though he tried to hide it, I could tell he wanted to go. The reason he hesitated... was because he didn't want to leave me all alone." Emizel paused for a second, before continuing. "So... that's why I convinced him to go... it hurt, but I hope it made him happy..."

Having recalled watching the broadcast, Axel remembered watching Gundham find love, and some measure of happiness, despite his fate. "I'm… I'm sure it did, buddy. I'm sure he was the happiest guy in the world..."

Emizel brightened. "R-really? You think so? I wonder if he ever met a girl... he always talked about finding a 'Dark Queen' for his Underworld. He's such a dork, guess that's where I get it!" He giggled, before snuggling closer to Axel. A moment elapsed as he tried to think of his next words carefully. "Hey, Axel... can I ask a favor?"

"Hmm? What is it? I'm all ears," the Soccer Player said as he gently squeezed the boy beside him.

Emizel frowned. "I know I said I would not get negative again, but... I wanted to be realistic, just for a moment."

Axel nodded thoughtfully as his expression softened. "Whatever it is, I promise I'll do my best. You don't have to be nervous around me."

The Ultimate Overlord took a deep breath before continuing. "I, um, wanted to request... that if I don't make it... if you would be ok with inheriting my scarf and sword? They are both super important to me, and I know they would be well loved and cherished by you."

"I-I promise if it comes to that, I'll look after them. I'm not good at many things other than soccer, but I never go back on my word," Axel offered a strained smile. "Sorry, I sort of stole that from an anime, but I mean every word of it."

A weak laugh escaped the boy next to him. "T-thank you... I know it's unfair of me to ask such a thing, I mean we only met less than 12 hours ago and I'm already clinging to you, it's just you remind me so much of Gundham... I guess when it comes down to it, you make me feel safe and that's what I need right now."

Axel gingerly tousled Emizel's hair. "You and I both worry too much. I wouldn't be sitting here with you if I didn't want to. You are safe though, Emizel, so why don't you try and rest while you can? I'll keep an eye out."

The Overlord flushed as he inched closer before gingerly kissing the other boy's cheek. "Thank you, I-I won't forget your kindness. Promise you'll be here when I wake up?"

The other boy fought down the blush that had consumed his face before nodding his head numbly. "There's nowhere else on this train, I'd be here with you."

* * *

**4:23 P.M Day One**

**35°F**

**Observation Car**

**Viewing Room**

Yumei couldn't help but shiver. She pressed herself harder against Tonbe and rested her face against his chest, while enjoying the feeling of his arms wrapped around her back. Well, as much as she could while fighting against the horrid conditions of this awful train.

"You know… this reminds me a little of something I experienced back at the monastery, many years back," she softly admitted. "The cold and water, that is. Not the killing game part."

"Well I would hope not." The Seismologist moved one of his arms to cover the top of her shoulders from the water. "Anyways, what were you going to say?"

"When I was nine, we had a bad winter in our part of China. The cold had been especially biting, making it difficult to train outdoors. I did not want to show any signs of weakness, however… and so I trained outside, despite Grandmaster Mao advising me against it. I had something of a… chip on my shoulder back then, and I was hard to manage. I wanted to prove myself, to train and learn as much as I could, no matter the cost to my physical body." Yumei briefly closed her eye as she recalled her past.

"One day, a terrible storm raged outside, and almost everyone sought shelter inside… except me, of course. Fool that I was, I was determined to train, no matter what the weather threw at me. I thought that if I could withstand that, I could withstand anything, do anything. Of course, the only thing I got from that was a high fever and a horrid cold. I was bedridden for over a week. All the while, Grandmaster Mao tended to me personally, taking care of me until my fever broke and my cold went away. The only thing he asked me after that was if I had learned my lesson," she said with a small smile on her face.

She remained silent a moment longer, giving a wistful sigh, before concluding her story. "That day onward, I was fully aware of the limitations of my body. I never tried anything quite so foolish again, as well. It was… a humbling experience, to say the least."

"Heh, that is quite the story. I've learned a lesson about just what my body can go through, except mine was about not being prepared." Tonbe smiled softly as he began to massage the Monk's back. "Though I doubt this water has anything to do with you pushing your limits."

"Mm, true. There might be another influencing factor in that regard," Yumei admitted, giving Tonbe a teasing smile. "Something tells me that if we had a proper bed, you might be able to wear me out. Hopefully, we shall have the chance to test this theory, at some point."

"At any rate, though, this is… nice. It's been a long time since I felt this… close with someone. It is a feeling I had missed." She gave a content little sigh as she pressed herself harder against his firm body.

"D-Damn Yumei, I can't believe you can just say stuff like that..." Tonbe muttered as his cheeks darkened. "This really is just my first time with basically everything in terms of interacting with people. But it has been very nice getting to experience them with you."

"Heh, when you h-have no inhibitions, it is t-trivial to say things like th-that. And th-thank you, Tonbe. L-Likewise, this has been f-fun." Yumei gave a little shiver as the cold started creeping back into her. "I am… glad I've been able to s-spend this time with you. Dire and gr-grim as these circumstances are, I-I am… glad to have m-met you."

The Seismologist gave the Monk a warm smile before timidly pressing his lips against her brow. "Funny, I was gonna say the same to you. No matter what happens next, this experience with you… it is something I'll always treasure."

* * *

**5:14 P.M Day One**

**30°F**

**Coach Car**

**Bathroom**

Sarah walked into the bathroom with haste before offering a disgruntled look. "I did not survive New York just to die in this shithole. Look just do your search, already. I promise you won't find what you're looking for."

"That remains to be seen, but if you have nothing to hide, then there's nothing to worry about. I gave Axel my word. I would help to the best of my ability. I figured you'd feel more comfortable with me rather than him or Emizel doing this." Eline crinkled her nose as she tried to ignore the stench.

Sarah chuckled. "I don't like the idea of getting felt up by any of you, but if it'll prove to you all I'm not a liar, then fine. Do what you have to do, officer." She offered sarcastically as she put her arms out to her sides.

The former dealer sighed and began the process of patting the Graffiti Artist down. "I take no pleasure in this either, but if the situation was reversed, you'd surely be happy someone was going to such extremes on your behalf. We're talking about life or death. I think you can appreciate why Emizel and Axel got so worked up earlier."

The graffiti artist sighed. "I get it, Axel was stupid enough to knock himself out with me in the room, so I must have stolen his ticket. Look, no offense, but Axel would lose his head if it wasn't attached. For all we know, he flushed it down that toilet."

"He may be a bit careless, but I highly doubt he'd ever do something like that. If this pisses you off, you're more than happy to check me in return." Eline continued to sift through every pocket and cranny she could find. "You're lucky. In some places, looking for drugs there would involve a far more... thorough search. I'm going to assume you're not hiding an extra ticket in any orifices. If I'm mistaken, then you earned it."

Sarah scowled as she observed the dealer. "You ain't sticking your hand up my pussy, that's for sure. And secondly, I would like to search you afterwards. You've been close to him, like Emizel and Kazuko. For all I know, you're doing this to deflect the blame from yourself."

"I'm not a gynecologist, so the only time I'd prefer my hand go there is during sex," Eline quipped as she stepped back. "Take off your shoes and socks, then I should be satisfied for now."

"For fuck's sake..." Sarah grumbled as she proceeded to do so. Eline looked inside of them, only to see there was no ticket in sight.

"Happy now? Now I gotta walk around with wet feet thanks to your paranoia."

The Dealer rolled her eyes. "Stop whining so much. If I was really being paranoid, I would have told you to bend over and spread your cheeks. I am trying to be somewhat polite," she muttered as she handed both articles of clothing back to Sarah. "Just to be safe, let's take a look in that mask and I'll be absolutely finished."

Sarah gave Eline a hard stare, before taking it off her neck and handing it to her. "Be fucking careful with that, I've had that mask since I first gained my Ultimate title."

"Relax, you don't have to treat me like the boogieman." The Dealer flipped the mask over before inspecting it closely. She shook it a moment in her and shrugged when nothing fell out. "Alright, I guess I'm satisfied. I'm more than happy to strip down if you wanna be thorough," she teased with a slight wink.

"Oh fuck off, you perv," Sarah said dismissively as she put her mask back on and began to pat down the Dealer. "Look, sorry if I'm being a little pissy, but I don't like being called a rat. Where I come from, you stick by your crew. It's the only way to survive when you're part of a gang."

Eline shrugged as she was searched. "Fair enough, but you and your crew were close, right? That didn't happen in a matter of half a day, right? This a very different situation. You're comparing apples to oranges."

Sarah finished her pat-down and leaned back against the bathroom wall. "Eh, I got into tagging when I was 12. Mom and Dad didn't care what I did, so I just got a crew together and started painting where we could. Once, we even tagged this massive billboard in Times Square. Man were the cops pissed." She smiled as she reminisced.

"Well, for what it's worth, I hope we can get out of this mess. If you speak so highly of them, I bet your crew is worried about you too. It must be nice to have that sense of belonging," Eline mused quietly as she brushed her clothes off.

Sarah avoided her gaze. "Yeah... sure they are." She started to move out of the room. "Look, let's get out of here. If I'm gonna freeze my tits off, I at least want to smell decent."

"Yeah, if we stay in here much longer, I doubt either of us will have much of an appetite for dinner," the Dealer chuckled as she followed after the Graffiti Artist...

* * *

**5:39 P.M Day One**

**30°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

An exasperated sigh escaped the Wizard as he strode into the Dining Car. "Tch, everyone is curling into balls as if they're preparing to die. Don't they realize that falling asleep in the cold is just begging for death."

As Adohira entered the room, he spotted the Ultimate Game Designer. A far cry from her normal self, Kazuko was huddled under a table. Her hands were wrapped around her legs in the fetal position. She rocked back-and-forth. "Make it stop, make it stop..." Was all she mumbled as she stared into space blankly.

"Isn't it a bit premature to lose your sanity this quickly?" Adohira asked in a deadpan manner before quirking a brow. "It just now dipped below freezing. Surely, you've experienced worse," he said as he stopped near the table.

Kazuko perked up at the sound. "A-A-Ado!" She got out from under the table and into the water spray. "I'm, I'm fine. Never, never felt better." She forced a grin and looked him up and down. "What's wrong, cold getting to ya?" She attempted to joke as she shivered in place.

Adohira offered a smirk. "Cold? N-Not a chance. I was just thinking they should turn the AC on, I'm burning up. I have to admit, though, whatever the bear is cooking smells great. Perhaps you can use a warm plate to defrost your hands."

Kazuko looked at her hands, which started to split and bleed in the constant spray of cold water. "Ha... You can see right through me, can't you?" She muttered weakly as she sat down in one of the chairs. "You're just like the head at the orphanage. I never could quite get one past him..."

"Just cut the crap. At this rate, we'll be dead before midnight. What's your story, anyway? I get a feeling your more than just a troll." Adohira slipped into a chair across from her.

Kazuko sighed. "I never had any parents. I'm told I was left at the doorstep in a wooden basket. Fucking cliche, I know. I mean they fed us and gave us beds but, for me, it was a boring hell. There was nothing to do!" She paused. "That's when I found some old board games in the attic, only thing was half the pieces were missing. So I put something new together from each of them. That was my first game, and the kids loved it."

"Sounds like an afterschool special." Ado cracked the slightest of smiles as he rested his briefcase in his lap. "So your bane truly is boredom. Can I ask you something, then? Why the whole troublemaker act? What purpose does that serve?"

The Game Designer rolled her eyes. "You're not the first person to ask me that. I mean, the last time a shrink took a look at me, he said I was sick in the head. Now I don't know about that, but you try growing up in that orphanage and not ending up a little crazy. I mean, it was in the middle of the countryside, we were all stuck together, and the only thing of interest near the house was this lake that always froze in winter and that... that..." Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath as she held onto something in her pocket. "Nevermind that. At the end of the day, I do it cause boredom may as well be death to me."

"Seems we all have our Achilles heel. Lack of action is yours. I wish mine were something less corporeal." The Wizard stared at one of the reinforced windows. "Take it from me, a lack of a family isn't always a bad thing. If you don't have that connection, it can never be taken from you."

Kazuko cocked her head. "I take it you lost your family, too? We can be orphan buddies!"

"I suppose you could say anyone who cared for me is gone. Do we gain anything from being in this little prestigious club?" Adohira asked sarcastically, though a small grin remained on his face.

"An excuse to blame your life failures on, I guess." Kazuko's smile disappeared as she looked down at her hands in her pockets. "Listen... Adohira. I just want to let you know that, no matter what happens next... thank you for listening to me." She smiled softly, this time without any of her usual mischief.

The boy's expression softened ever so slightly. "Don't mention it. I'm better at letting other people carry conversations, anyway. Why don't we go for a walk before dinner? It has to be better in this cold than just sitting around," he picked his case up before staring at her expectantly.

"Yeah, that'd be nice," the Game Designer said as she followed him out of the car.

* * *

**6:01 P.M Day One**

**25°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

The passengers all gathered one by one into the dining car. As they arrived, they realized that the sprinklers had stopped spraying for the moment. However, the air was still cold, for the fans continued to blow the chill into the room. At the table, all newly prepared with newly cleaned cutlery was a large platter of tropical island foods. The food looked piping hot and delicious, a warmth that they all badly needed.

Standing to the side of the table was Saban, who was dressed like he was on a Hawaiian holiday. Beach clothes, a sun hat, and sunglasses.

_**"Aloha, fuckheads! Boy, isn't it nice and tropical in here! There's nothing better than a summer holiday!"** _

Adohira blinked and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Oh, now they're just fucking with us."

Kazuko quickly entered the room and tried to dry herself off. "Who gives a shit?! It's a break from that damn water!"

Tonbe stifled a shiver as he emerged into the Dining Car with an arm draped around Yumei's shoulder. Despite the pair both clearly suffering from the cold, they both had oddly peaceful expressions on their faces. The lack of water being sprayed in the chilled air only helped to alleviate some of the stress. "Never knew how thankful I would be to just have it be cold without all the water," the burly boy chuckled deeply.

"Yes, it's funny that you find the strangest things to be thankful for in such dire times." Yumei rested her head against his shoulder.

 _ **"Enjoy it while you still can, miss roid rage, because it ain't gonna last!"**_  Saban said with a grin. He turned to his side.  _ **"Hoshu, stop being a lazy bum and play some music!"**_

The passengers suddenly noticed Hoshukuma at the other side of the table, who was dressed in a tiki skirt and had a ukulele in his hands.

 _ **"How the fuck do you rope me into this shit?"**  _He said with despair as he started to play the instrument. Unfortunately, for everyone in the car, the mechanic's musical ability left something to be desired. The "song" was a butchered version of Aloha ʻOe.

Emizel felt a little bit of himself die inside as he cringed at the performance.  _ **"Even the screams of the damned sound better than this!"**_  He covered his ears.

Sarah grit her teeth. "For fuck sake, we have to listen to this bullshit now?!" She exclaimed.

Thankfully, the performance was cut short when Saban grabbed the instrument from Hoshu's paws and smashed it on the ground.  _ **"You haven't been practicing, have you?!"**_

 _ **"Practicing?! You're the one that made me play that bullshit!"**_  The Mechanic replied.

 _ **"Oh, don't go blaming me now. You're the one who… you know what, it doesn't matter."**  _He turned to the passengers. _ **"Eat up while you still can, fuckheads, cause it'll probably be your last meal at this rate!"**_

Adohira walked to the table and took a seat. "Whatever, let's just get this over with. Just to let everyone know, I don't plan on eating this. This is clearly some kind of set up."

Axel sat at the table as he tried to suppress his shivers. "B-but… it looks so good..."

"B-be careful, Axel. Adohira has a point. Something must be up for them to stop the sprinklers... I have a bad feeling about this," Emizel muttered, concern in his tired voice

"It has been a long time since I've eaten anything." Eline took a seat as her stomach could be heard growling. "Why would they kill us when they have the cold for that? Just relax, everyone."

"It's not the bears I'm worried about..." Emizel said softly.

Sarah muttered something as she took her seat. "Honestly, I have to agree. I think I'll wait for a bit before I dig in."

Yumei grunted in frustration. "If death comes, then so be it, but I'm not going to live my life ruled by fear." Yumei said as she took a seat alongside Tonbe.

"The options suck, but one sucks less than the other, if you ask me." Kazuko shrugged and took a seat, as if her playful personality had returned. "How is everyone doing, by the way? I notice some people seem closer." She giggled a bit.

Tonbe blushed as he coughed into his hand. "Well, some situations bring people closer together. That's all."

Adohira sighed. "Such naivety will only lead you to an early grave," he muttered as he crossed his legs.

Emizel sat up in his seat with a moan. "Well, everyone seems better than what I thought... that's good, I guess." He gave a tired smile at everyone.

"I could swear I heard some moaning from the viewing room." Kazuko teased Tonbe and gave him a thumbs up, though she recoiled a bit from the frostbite

Tonbe immediately averted his gaze and rubbed at the back of his neck. "C-Could we just focus on dinner, maybe?"

"Yeah, I'm starving," Axel said, excitedly eying the food.

"Sure. What do we have for dinner, Saban?" Kazuko asked.

"Well, considering how fucking hot it is in here..." He fanned himself with his paw. "It just got me in a Hawaiian mood!"

"Hawaiian food... how ironic..." Emizel said with a frown.

"Probably a bunch of despair sandwiches," Eline remarked as she rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't put it past them to spike it with psychotropic drugs to get us to go off the rails... pardon the pun," Sarah said.

"Wait, I thought it was cold in here," Axel said.

"He's being an asshole and taunting us," Sarah said.

"...I'm too tired to care about what you say anymore, you dumb bear," Emizel said with a sigh. "Since this may very well be our last meal, I plan to enjoy it."

"Well, it could have been worse. At least it isn't something cold like ice cream." Kazuko shrugged.

"That seems to be the best idea. No sense in dying on an empty stomach." Yumei reached for her silverware.

"H-hey… don't say that... we'll find a way out, I know we will," Axel said meekly.

"Bottoms up!" Eline said with a smirk as she reached for her own fork.

The group, besides Sarah and Adohria, began to eat. The food was good as always, with a rich variety of spices and seasonings all put together in a great combination.

"I-I have to admit, the taste is pretty good." Tonbe reached for another sandwich.

"I don't remember when I had something so good. I'm a girl that only have time for fast foods, after all," Kazuko said.

Saban noticed that some of the people were refraining from eating.  _ **"What's wrong, ya think I fuckin' poisoned it or something?!"**_

"I think having us come here with warm food and the water turned off, when the motive is freezing to death, is very suspicious and runs counter to what you planned. In short, there's a catch somewhere," Sarah said.

He mockingly put his paw over where his heart would be.  _ **"I swear on my honor as a bear that that food is not poisoned. I checked it myself."**_

Yumei coughed violently and pat her chest. The tension in the room seemed to build before she offered an embarrassed expression. "Sorry, it just went down wrong."

Tonbe slumped into his chair before offering a relieved expression. "Thank god."

"...Yeah, I'm still not eating that food," Sarah said.

Hoshu grinned at the gathered diners.  ** _"I hope you all have your tickets ready after you're finished."_**  He casted his gaze towards the Soccer Player.

Axel choked on a bit of the food he was chewing, before violently coughing it up onto his plate.

Kazuko grinned. "Yeah! It'd be a shame if someone had to get off early, right Axel?"

The boy shivered in terror.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Emizel growled at the girl.

Saban raised an eyebrow. " _ **Why are you getting so defensive, gaylord? Surely, a beacon of intelligence like Bacon Boy here isn't fucking stupid enough to already be a dead man walking!?"**_

"Shut the fuck up, Saban!" Eline slammed her fist into the table. "You have no right to talk about Axel like that!" "Oh, this is getting interesting now, Elias. Here you've been going around trying to be the nice tranny, but it seems that some things can still get to you! Guess you really do have some fucken balls, after all!" Saban leaned in. "Pun intended." He whispered.

"Elias?" Adohira asked with a raised eyebrow.

 _ **"Yeah! That's the tranny's real name before he went nuts and cut his dick off."**_  He giggled.  ** _"Isn't that right, you mutilated freak?"_**

Eline stroked her chin. "I wonder if this dinner is made with any... trans-fats? Oh well, at least the dinner doesn't have any sausage. I'm not a real fan of that, as you can tell!" She chuckled to herself. "Listen, asshole, if you're trying to offend me, please stop. It's fucking pathetic," She then took another bite of the dinner.

Saban rolled his eyes.  _ **"Sure. Laugh it up, fuckhead, but remember one thing before you do…"**_

Eline cracked a grin. "And what is… what is…" Her voice became raspier before her eyes bulged. "That..?" Suddenly, she began to cough and thrash violently. Blood splattered out of her mouth and covered the table. She made a gagging sound, while her mouth foamed, before she collapsed back in her chair. By the time she'd hit the ground, she was already dead.

_**"He who laughs last, LAUGHS LONGEST! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!"** _

"Fuck... I knew it..." Emizel choked out. "You poisoned her!" He screamed as he pointed at Saban.

"Jeezus, so much for bears honor," Sarah said while taking a step back.

"For real!?" Kazuko pushed her food away in a panick.

"N-No way." Yumei breathed as she stared at the girl's limp body with horror.

Tonbe felt his shoulders trembling. He seemed unresponsive.

Axel stared, dropping his sandwich. His entire body shook. "N-no..."

DING DONG! The speakers suddenly chimed. _ **"Pupupu! And there we have it, folks. Our first death along the railway! Don't despair too much, though. At least you won't freeze to death. However, you might wanna cancel dinner plans."**_  Akakuma chortled.  _ **"Looks like our ticket count will have to be cancelled for now. It's time to get sniffing for clues! When the bell tolls, it will be time for the first class trial!"**_

* * *

**7 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	7. A Dinner to Die For: Act One

**6:14 P.M Day One**

**40°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

The soft hum of the heat being turned on was drowned out by the sound of a raised voice.

"We don't need a class trial! THIS IS THE BEARS' FAULT!" Emizel screamed angrily. "They prepared the food!"

"And how, precisely, do we know that?" Adohira asked sharply. "Why would they kill one of us after such an elaborate setup? Don't even try to answer that."

"These guys are meticulous about their rules. They are not permitted to harm us, so this is one of our own," Sarah said.

The Overlord shook his head. "Y-You trust them to keep their word? How can we be sure it wasn't them?!"

 _ **"Listen here, faggot! The rules state that 'the staff may not directly physically harm any of the passengers unless they are attacked first, or they are performing a punishment or expulsion.' I can't be the killer,"**  _Saban said as his red eye shined brightly.  _ **"The killer here… is one of you in this room."**_

Axel's breathing rapidly picking up its pace, turning into hyperventilation. He backed away from the table with wide eyes and leaned against a wall.

Emizel noticed Axel distress and rushed towards him. "H-hey! You're fine! It's ok!" Emizel tried to comfort him by wrapping him in a hug.

Axel shook his head. Fear, paranoia, grief, and despair were already setting in. "Eline… no..." was all he could choke out. He felt small, alone. He curled up and hid his head between his knees and chest.

Emizel gulped. "I-I don't know what to tell you, Axel. I'm sorry, but w-we have to find her killer, and move forward. That's all we can do now..." he said softly, rubbing his back

Yumei took a steadying breath as she stood up and slowly approached Eline's side. "Just because they prepared it, doesn't mean someone couldn't have tampered with it. Though I hate to admit it, this isn't the bears' doing."

In the midst of the panic, Akakuma's voice once again filled the room from the speakers.  _ **"Pupupu! I would spend less time sobbing and more time searching. The time till the first trial is approaching. I'd get a move on!"**_

The sound of the case files being updated reverberated through everyone's tablets.

* * *

**Akakuma Case File #1**

**Victim #1: Eline Kinnie**

**"The victim has foam coming from the mouth. Blood vessels are ruptured around the eyes and blood is leaking from the corner of her mouth."**

**"The cause of death was poisoning"**

**"The time of death was at 6:11 P.M"**

**"The body was discovered in the Dining Area at 6:11 P.M"**

* * *

"Wow, look at how useful this file is..." Kazuko's words were dripping with sarcasm as she dropped the tablet onto the table. "Seriously, all of this is so obvious."

"Tch. It's just as obvious as this entire setup. Seriously, I tried to warn you that eating was a bad idea," Sarah said before shaking her head at Eline's still body.

The Ultimate Seismologist stood up with a panicked expression. He slowly patted his face as he tried to collect himself. "Dammit. I guess we have no choice but to investigate, huh?"

"Where do we s-start?" Axel stammered out. The boy finally stood up, albeit shakily, but tried to avoid looking over at Eline's body.

Emizel frowned to himself. "I'm not sure what to do first. Should we try to determine the time the poison was put in the food and establish alibis?"

Adohira repressed a cold shiver and raised a single, numb finger. "First order of business: nobody touch anything."

The Soccer Player offered a confused expression. "Wait, but why?"

"The less anyone touches, the more we can preserve the scene," Adohira responded flatly. "If Eline consumed the poison, then we should check to see what's on her plate. Maybe we can figure out what, exactly, was poisoned."

"Well, I'm not going to risk poisoning myself by looking at her plate. Where would someone even find poison?" Sarah asked with a perplexed look.

Yumei gave a sigh as she looked around. "There are too many people in here. Maybe we should search the other cars, too."

"Good idea. Also, for obvious reasons, nobody should investigate on their own," Emizel muttered.

Kazuko offered a mischievous grin as she folded her arms. "Whelp, we need people guarding the crime scene, so who wants the boring job?"

Axel immediately shot his hand into the air. "I-I'll do it!"

"I'll stay with him…" The Overlord's quick offer was accompanied by a reassuring smile that was aimed at Axel.

Tonbe gave a nod. "Alright, you guys can keep watch. Yumei, should we start with the coach car?"

"If we're going to split into pairs, then Emizel and Axel can't be together. Neither can muscle girl and muscle boy. I know you're real friendly with one another, but friendship often affects judgment, especially if one of you is the guilty party." Adohira crossed his arms and frowned.

"And who are you to bark orders around, Mister Pointy Hat?" Sarah scowled at the boy.

"Yeesh, stop jacking off and get started! We don't have all day, you know!" Saban shouted at the passengers with an annoyed expression.

Emizel scowled at the Wizard. "Fine, then. So be it. Who wants to go with me?"

"You and Tonbe can go check out the coach car. The rest of us will conduct an autopsy and then investigate the kitchen," Adohira said firmly.

Yumei gave Adohira a stern look before sighing. "While I don't agree with you, I will stay here and guard the body if it will make you feel better."

"Look, if we're going to play this Adohira's way, I'll stay with Axel and Yumei. It doesn't really matter to me, though," Sarah muttered.

The Soccer Played frowned. "Why don't you trust me? Have I…?" He trailed off, turning his head to stare at the ground.

"Ignore him, Axel. I think he's just trying to be extra cautious," the Overlord said with a disgruntled expression.

"Nobody has to agree with me on anything. I obviously can't force you to do what you don't want to, but I think you know I have a point here." Adohira shrugged and then sighed. "Okay, I don't want to waste any more time. Stay calm, and we'll make it through this," Adohira stated half-heartedly.

"You heard the almighty magic man!" Kazuko exclaimed with a cheeky expression. "Time for the investigation game to begin. What do you say, magic man? Do we stick together?"

"We're obviously not friends, so it shouldn't make a difference," Adohira deadpanned before moving on to examine the contents of Eline's plate.

"Guess that means it's time for us to get going, big guy!" the Overlord said. He gave the taller boy a strained smile, then started towards the adjacent car.

"Well, here goes nothing. I-I'll see you later, Yumei." Tonbe looked to the Monk a final time before turning and following after Emizel.

"Take care of yourself," Yumei said quietly as she watched the pair fall out of sight.

Sarah crossed her arms. "It's a shame we don't have some medical expert to give the body a once-over, but I guess there's no point in moping about it."

As she said this, Hoshu opened a panel on his right arm and adjusted some switches inside of it. Immediately, all the sprinklers in the cars stopped their downpour. "About time we got a stiff. Keeping that damn water flowing was driving me crazy, but I couldn't let you guys go without a nice shower!"

"Wait, you were the one controlling the water?" Axel questioned as he regarded Hoshukuma.

"Ya, but I had to make sure the rooms didn't flood, so I had the water cycle back to the ceiling to rain down on you punks," the bear replied with a grin. As he said this, he motioned to some small openings at the sides of the car that were quickly draining all of the remaining water out of the room.

"Boy, that's even more devious than most of my pranks." The Game Designer couldn't help but chortle at the thought.

"Well, it's good to see someone appreciates my work," Hoshu said as he closed the panel on his arm and ripped off the tiki skirt he was wearing. "Unlike someone else I know. At least now I get to take off this stupid thing; I don't know what possessed the purple prick over there to make me wear it."

"Fuck you. It was funny," Saban replied dismissively.

"You two are about as funny as a toothache," Sarah muttered sarcastically before glancing over at the Wizard. "Found anything yet?"

"I'm getting the smell of bitter almonds. Everyone knows that's cyanide. Looks like the utensils themselves were poisoned instead of the food... Where could they have gotten cyanide from? I don't remember there being anywhere on the train that had poison. We'll need to expand our search," Adohira mused.  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

* * *

**6:24 P.M Day One**

**50°F**

**Coach Car**

**Sitting Area**

The Ultimate Seismologist felt his brow crease as he eyed the far wall of the sitting area. "I'm not sure if this is related, but I don't recall there being a pipe missing the last time I was in here. Then again, I was more focused on the cold, so perhaps it was just an oversight." He gestured at the wall to accentuate his point.  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

The Overlord cocked an eyebrow as he looked at the gap in the pipes. "A missing pipe? What does that have to do with a poisoning?"

"Beats me. Detective work isn't exactly my forte. I just don't remember seeing it. If nothing else, maybe it'll make sense to one of the others," Tonbe suggested as he peered down at Emizel.

"You may be correct, master of earthquakes." He gazed around the room, crossing his arms. "It does not appear as if anything else has changed since Axel's and my last meeting here. Let us check the latrine!" he declared, heading towards the closed toilet door.

The burly teen followed behind Emizel with a slightly bemused expression. "We truly did get the shit detail, didn't we? At least it's already getting warmer," he mused as he watched the Overlord open the door. He prepared himself for the stench that wafted out as the shorter boy strode into the room beyond.

Emizel walked towards the door and opened it cautiously, steeling himself for the expected foul stench ahead. However, the smell that greeting him was not the one he expected. "Almonds?" the smaller boy asked as he entered. That was when he noticed the source: a large wrapping of wet tissue and a half-full syringe of clear liquid that was sitting on the toilet's closed lid.

"What the fuck- I mean, what in the nine hells? What kind of alchemy is this?" The Overlord fumbled over his words as he struggled to keep up his persona.

"That's not what I was expecting," Tonbe admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck. "This may be the poison that was used on Eline. If it is, someone didn't do a good job of disposing of it."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"Yeah... Yeah, that's right! They must truly lack the knowledge of Achlys, the goddess of poison, to do something this... shit." Emizel's confident demeanor was quick to fizzle out in the face of the bleak reality staring back at him.

The Ultimate Seismologist offered a strained smile before resting a hand on the Overlord's shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to try so hard. I know you're plenty tough, but you can drop the act. I won't tell anyone."

"I... I..." The Overlord gritted his teeth. "I can't do this." He walked out of the bathroom quickly, sitting in one of the chairs. "I'm sorry, but I'm just so worried. Axel's probably scarred for life, and one of our friends is a killer. I'm sorry, Gundham, but I can't do this anymore!" Small tears started to form in his eyes.

"Hey, just let it out. Nothing good comes from bottling up those emotions. I don't know anything about this Gundham, but I bet he'd understand," Tonbe said as he followed the boy back out into the sitting area.

The Overlord sat in silence for a moment. "I know people used to think that Gundham was just this weirdo who had mental issues, but he had feelings like anyone else. I think he used to speak the way he did to hide the issues he had, to keep up a strong face… I know he was human underneath it all. I remember this one time... Some dogs he was training had gotten rabies from some wild animal they met while out on a walk." He closed his eyes. "Gundham had to put them down. He'd just finished when I'd got home, and he was crying his eyes out. He was speaking just like you or me. 'I'm sorry I couldn't help you; please forgive me.' That kind of thing. Of course, when he saw me, he went back to his persona in a flash. I always wanted to be like him, but I guess I just don't have the same nerves of steel."

Silence prevailed for a long moment as Tonbe took a seat next to the boy. The Seismologist carefully laced his hands. "Your cousin sounds like a great man, but I think you're worrying too much about measuring yourself against him. Emizel, you are your own man. If you ask me, you should try to figure out who you are instead of chasing Gundham's shadow."

Emizel raised his eyes to meet Tonbe's as a slight smile graced his face. "Maybe you're right. I don't know if Gundham's alive, but I know he would force me to not follow his path if he was here right now." He stood up. "Let's go. Maybe the others have found something."

"Agreed, but let's give a swift look around this car again and then check out the viewing room. We can't be too safe, right?" Tonbe suggested with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, let's do that, Tonbe," Emizel said as they continued their search.

* * *

**6:33 P.M Day One**

**60°F**

**Dining Car**

**Dining Area**

Yumei stood beside the body with a solemn expression. Her gaze quietly shifted around the room as the others conducted their investigation. This wasn't her line of work, but she could preserve the crime scene at the very least. She sighed softly as she watched Sarah inspecting the body. "Careful, lest we have another death to contend with."

"Don't worry. I'm not about to touch her. It's kind of ironic that the drug dealer was killed by poison, isn't it? It makes you wonder why she was targeted," Sarah mused aloud.

The Ultimate Wizard, who stood off to the side, shifted his gaze from the pair and over towards the Soccer Player. "Oi, Axel. Was your plan inspired by my joke from earlier, or something else entirely? It's a strange coincidence, don't you think?"

"Wh-What do you mean?" Axel asked weakly, still shaking from the shock of the situation.

Kazuko grinned. "Oh, I see. Thinking the same thing I am, Ado?" she wondered, eyeing the Soccer Player intently.

"Probably. Yeah… this case is over before it even began. It's not too late to earn some sympathy points, if you explain what's driving you to live," Adohira uttered darkly as he leveled a glare at Axel.

The Monk offered a puzzled expression. "What in the world are the two of you getting at? What makes you think Axel had something to do with this?"

Axel paled and started to panic. "I-I-I didn't kill her!" He shouted, burying his head in his scarf. "She was my friend! I would never kill someone."

Kazuko giggled. "Good acting, man. I should get you to voice act in one of my games!" she announced, pointing at Axel.

"Your words alone mean nothing. It's not unimaginable for the culprit to have conspired with our captors beforehand, to have helped plan all this. The utensils were poisoned by the culprit, and I assume it was Sabankuma who laid out all the cutlery." Adohira still had Axel locked down with a pointed stare.

"Was it not you that took all the cutlery earlier?" Yumei couldn't help but point out, glancing at Adohira. "It seems you had a better chance than anyone else."

Sarah sighed as she straightened her back. "This is a waste of time. Look, the bear said something about not poisoning the food. So, if he can be trusted, it means someone else must have. Instead of pointing fingers, let's focus on doing a proper investigation. Someone needs to check out the kitchen."

Kazuko raised an eyebrow and grinned at Sarah. "Sabankuma didn't poison the food, and Ado said it was the utensils that were poisoned, right? That means Saban ain't lying." She made her way closer to the kitchen door and looked back at Axel. "Ado and I will check the kitchen, but this mystery is as obvious as a shitty mystery game. Axel, not wanting to become a smear on the side of the railway, poisoned a knife and fork. Eline just so happened to be the one to bite it- literally! Oh well, I guess I'll have the fun of seeing what the bears come up with for his execution." She winked at the Soccer Player before entering the kitchen.

Axel started to cry as he backed against the wall. "No… please, I didn't do it. Oh, God. Eline, why? It's happening again…" He breathed heavily and wrapped his arms around his body tightly.

"If sobbing is your form of an alibi, you'd best prepare for the worst," Adohira said bluntly as he strode after the Game Designer. The sound of the door to the kitchen closing echoed through the dining car.

"Would you stop shaking like a tree? They're not going to bite you," Sarah remarked as she playfully elbowed Axel in the side. "And don't worry. I'm keeping a close eye on all of you."

Yumei offered a thoughtful expression as she stared at the door connecting to the kitchen. "Perhaps it's just me, but they did seem rather quick to draw that conclusion."

Axel looked up at the Monk. "What... what do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's just like they solved the crime before we'd even established any details. To me, that just seems suspicious," the Monk opined with a brief shrug.

"Regardless, they're wrong. I mean, you do have an alibi, right? Weren't you with the wannabe darklord? Unless you guys are conspiring together, I don't know how you would have pulled this off. I guess the same could be said about the lovebirds. Jeez, I wish I had stayed with someone, myself," Sarah admitted with a sheepish smile. "It sucks being a suspect."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Axel pulled a tiny smile. "I trust you, Sarah. Before she... died, Eline told me she searched you and that you didn't have my ticket. I'm sorry we suspected you. I can tell you're actually a good friend."

"You shouldn't trust me. You gotta be tougher, ya know? If I was the killer, I could just be trying to play for sympathy. Nice guys finish last is the saying, right? Nice guys end up in early graves in games like these," Sarah said quietly.

Axel thought for a moment. "Well, there is one thing that's a little odd. Adohira and, well... you... didn't eat during the meal. I'm not accusing you of anything, but it is kind of weird."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"He does raise a good point. I'm not accusing you, either, but would you care to answer him, Sarah?" Yumei asked as she quirked a brow.

The Graffiti Artist sighed. "There's nothing to really say. I was paranoid with the whole setup of dinner, and I didn't trust the bears or any of you to not pull something. Turns out my instincts were right."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"There is something else," Axel said. "Hoshu was controlling the water, and he stopped it in the car for the dinner. We thought that was just to get us in, but what if it was to stop the poison from coming off the cutlery? If that's the case, then they knew about the murder... It must have been planned in advance."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"That's… actually a rather astute observation. For what it's worth, you shouldn't let people intimidate you going forward, Axel. In a game like this, it is necessary to stand on one's own feet and face challenges head on. When you do have confidence, it shows," Yumei mused thoughtfully. "Strength of will is an all important trait to have. Without it, people will just run all over you. In a Killing Game, it is a vital trait to have, one that could mean the difference between life and death."

"Th-thank you." Axel replied quietly to the Monk. "I-I just don't like to be a problem for people, so I tend to stay quiet..."

Sarah glanced over her shoulder at the other girl, before a cheeky smile graced her lips. "My, that's some sagely advice. Hard to believe that's from the same mouth I heard moaning not too long ago."

Yumei slowly blinked at Sarah, her one good eye staring hard at the other girl. A faint tint of red tinged her cheeks, but she did not react to Sarah's insinuations otherwise. "Hmm, you heard as well, did you? I am not surprised. It is a small train, after all. I do not mind such references, but I would ask you not tease Tonbe. He is a shy, gentle soul, after all. I do not think he'd take such teasing in stride like I am."

Axel blushed red as a tomato. "Err, can we not talk about that?"

At Axel's words, the tinge on Yumei's cheeks deepened. Her eye closed briefly as she tried to find something to say to the boy. "...Yes, I would prefer we move on. My personal dalliances are not pertinent at the moment."

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," Sarah mirth slowly faded as she again regarded Eline's still form at the cutlery on the table. "We still have to figure when our culprit managed to slip the poison. We can probably use that to figure out who is safely out of contention."

"Well, Emizel and I spent a few hours together before dinner, so I have an alibi. Yumei and Tonbe spent the last few hours..." Axel blushed again and hid his head in his scarf. "Doing... you know what."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"Interesting. That only leaves Sarah, Adohira, and Kazuko without solid alibis. That's not a bad start," Yumei mused.

"It may not provide me a rock-solid alibi, but I was searched shortly before dinner by Eline. At the very least, it's not possible for the cutlery to have been poisoned shortly before dinner," Sarah said with a roll of her shoulders.  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Axel rubbed his eyes. "I saw Kazuko and Adohira walk out of the dining car after about 5:45, so it couldn't have been poisoned between then and when we all went together at around six."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"It's a start, but it just barely narrows our window of opportunity. We had better hope that the others find something more concrete," Yumei mused with a somber expression. Her gaze once again settled on Eline's still form as the gears in her head continued to turn.

* * *

**6:45 P.M Day One**

**70°F**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen**

Shortly after the door shut, Adohira dropped his voice to a whisper. "If you're wondering why I went so hard on Axel, it's because he's the type who's likely to confess easily if he is the killer. I don't actually have any conclusive evidence right now, apart from his... odd behavior."

Kazuko shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I don't blame you. Of all the people right now who could have snuffed out Eline, Axel had the most motivation. He was about five minutes away from getting turned into a frozen corpse when Eline died. That timing just seems too perfect."

"Yes, and clearly he isn't of the soundest of minds. It's very possible that he may have cracked when he felt the pressure bearing down on him. However, we should still be thorough. That way, we can figure out how it was done."

"Yep! Let's crack this mystery..." She skipped into the kitchen and looked around. "Now, if I know my adventure games, chances are the clues are hidden somewhere you wouldn't look to start with. So, let's check all the cabinets, dark corners, and gaps in this place first." As she said this, she began to look through the cupboards on the walls.

Adohira quirked a brow as he picked up a discarded bottle. "Just as I thought, here's some cyanide. It seems we found the source of poison. Someone wasn't very thorough, or perhaps they left it here intentionally."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"Well, if Axel is the killer, do you really think he'd be smart enough to get rid of it properly?" The Game Designer walked up to the bottle. "He probably did it, then ran out in a panic. What a loser!"

"What's curious are these scratches on the bottle itself. I wonder what caused these..." the Wizard mused as he carefully handled the bottle.

Kazuko eyed the scratch marks closely. "I don't know. Maybe he shoved it up his ass? It's certainly tight enough." She giggled.

Adohira glanced away from the bottle and at the Designer. "You have one deranged mind, don't you?"

Kazuko smiled widely. "You only just figuring that out? I thought you were supposed to be the clever one."

"Fair enough. Although, I never claimed 'cleverness' as my dominant trait. People who rely on brains alone are full of openings," he deadpanned with a smirk. "Whatever. Still, I find it strange that someone would leave it out in the open like this."

The Game Designer sighed in frustration. "I don't know! Maybe Axel is just a fucking idiot." She paused. "Or maybe one of the others, like the Gay Swordsman or Paint Bitch, planted it there to frame him. You're a genius!" She gave him a thumbs up.

"Hmm, I don't know about that. In regard to Axel, I wouldn't put it past him to forget to clean up after himself." Adohira hummed in thought. "But…"

"Sounds about right!" Kazuko interrupted. "You know, Axel kind of reminds of that moron in Hope's Peak. What was his name…? Hiro? I mean, he did a pretty shit job cleaning up his murder, but even he got some pussy before he died! Axel tried to fuck a gay tranny, so his logic clearly isn't that great."

"...If you're quite done, we still have work to do," Adohira said in a blunt manner as he further observed the scratches. "I wonder if this bottle was forced inside of something. Perhaps that's what caused these marks. They seem to be all around its circumference."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Kazuko rubbed her chin. "I guess that makes sense. I mean, I didn't see any poison when I looked around the train. Maybe it was hidden somewhere?"

"Why stuff it somewhere in the first place? Obviously, it wasn't shoved into some hiding place, otherwise it wouldn't be here right now. Perhaps we're looking for some sort of dispenser, something that was used to pour or move the poison." Adohira shook his head.  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Kazuko perked up. "What, you mean like a Monokuma Capsule Machine or something? That would be a great way to get things during a killing game. Maybe you could even make the participants slap the area around to find coins to put in it! That sounds like something I'd put in a game."

The Wizard frowned. "You don't take anything seriously, do you?"

"You know you love me for it." She gave him a wink.

"Love is a strong word." His verbal counter was followed by the slumping of his shoulders. "Regardless, we should remember this detail for the trial. Maybe one of the others will actually prove useful," he said in a somewhat doubtful tone.

"I guess that's true." Kazuko's smile faded and she gave him a firm look. "To be serious for a moment, who do you really think did it? Is it really as simple as it just being Axel?"

"Honestly? If I had to make an educated guess, I would say either you, Axel, or Sarah," Adohira mused as he stared intently at her. He then let out a small smirk. "And keep in mind, it's often the people who ask these sorts of questions that are guilty."

A brief moment of silence came over the room. Kazuko then began to chuckle. "What makes you suspect me, Ado? Am I getting too crazy for you?"

"Do you really want me to answer that? Look, it's simple. You don't have a solid alibi, do you? Feel free to take it personally, but I don't trust anyone," the Wizard said with a shrug.

Kazuko thought for a moment. "Well, do you have an alibi? I mean, I was with you after you caught me in the dining hall, but we're as fucked as each other before that."

Adohira offered a somber nod."...If we don't reach the truth, everyone -save one- will be fucked."

As if in response to his comment, a chiming sound came from the front of the train. The speakers crackled to life.

_***DING DONG*** _

_**"Ahem! As much fun as it is watching you all scurry about, I'm getting so bored! Waaaaah! It's time for the trial!"**  _Akakuma's voice carried over the loudspeakers as the locked door connected to the dining car suddenly clicked open.  _ **"Move your butts past the dining car immediately, or you're really gonna make me cry! Believe me, you really don't want that!"**_

* * *

**Akakuma Case File #1**

**Victim #1: Eline Kinnie**

**"The victim has foam coming from the mouth. Blood Vessels are ruptured around the eyes and blood is leaking from the corner of her mouth."**

**"The cause of death was poisoning"**

**"The time of death was at 6:11 P.M"**

**"The body was discovered in the Dining Area at 6:11 P.M"**

* * *

_**TRUTH BULLETS** _

**Almond Scent**

**Missing Pipe  
**

**Soaked Tissue  
**

**Syringe  
**

**Axel/Emizel's Alibi  
**

**Tonbe/Yumei's Alibi  
**

**Sarah and Adohira didn't eat  
**

**Sarah's testimony  
**

**Staff aware of the poison**

**Timeframe of the poisoning had to have occurred prior to 5:45  
**

**Cyanide  
**

**Scratches on the bottle of poison  
**

**Poison forced into some sort of container/dispenser**

* * *

**7 Survivors Remain**

* * *


	8. A Dinner to Die For: Act Two

**Akakuma Case File #1**

**Victim #1: Eline Kinnie**

**"The victim has foam coming from the mouth. Blood Vessels are ruptured around the eyes and blood is leaking from the corner of her mouth."**

**"The cause of death was poisoning"**

**"The time of death was at 6:11 P.M"**

**"The body was discovered in the Dining Area at 6:11 P.M"**

* * *

_**TRUTH BULLETS** _

**Almond Scent  
**

**Missing Pipe  
**

**Soaked Tissue  
**

**Syringe  
**

**Axel/Emizel's Alibi  
**

**Tonbe/Yumei's Alibi  
**

**Sarah and Adohira didn't eat  
**

**Sarah's testimony  
**

**Staff aware of the poison  
**

**Timeframe of the poisoning had to have occurred prior to 5:45  
**

**Cyanide  
**

**Scratches on the bottle of poison  
**

**Poison forced into some sort of container/dispenser**

* * *

**6:50 P.M Day One**

**Trial Car**

**Courtroom**

As the group of seven slowly made their way inside, they found a small circle of eight raised podiums. For the first time, they could make out the signs of wilderness. A mountain pass and a large plume of snow flitted over the clear windows dotting the insides of the room. A crude red X had been drawn through a portrait of Eline that rested atop one of the podiums. In front of the podiums sat Akakuma in a high top chair with a gavel in his paw. Two other podiums rested next to him with Saban and Hoshu on each side. The little bear offered a guffaw when he saw the group make their way inside.

_**"Hohoho, welcome to my trial room. I know it's a bit cramped in here, but what can you do? We're on a train, after all. It's not like we're in a mansion, or a theme park, or outer space. You have to make do with whatcha got. Take your seat and we'll get this show underway!"** _

"This is one nice place you got here," Kazuko said as she entered the room. "Wait a minute, I almost forgot!" She grinned and looked over at Adohira. Then she quickly snatched the hat off of his head. "I forgot to check your hat. Who knows what you're hiding in this thing."

The Wizard gave her a mild expression as his unruly hair was now exposed. "Do as you will. You won't find a thing," he said in a dry manner as he strode towards his podium.

"Hm, I have to admit… under better circumstances, this would be a wonderful view. Those mountains are incredible," the Seismologist said with a hint of awe in his voice. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe I've see this landscape before. I think we're in Serbia."

"Sadly, we're not under those circumstances." Emizel made his way over to his place. "I hoped it wouldn't come to this."

"Well, we've got to do it, for Eline's sake," Axel added shakily as he followed the others.

The Graffiti Artist offered a dry chuckle as she took her own position. "At the very least, we have a limited amount of suspects. When you think about it, this should be far easier than most killing games."

"...I don't know if easy is the word I'd use to describe any part of this process. I can only hope that we can discover the truth from here." Yumei went to stand behind her own podium. At the same time, she glanced between the bears. "Is there anything we should know before this begins?"

 _ **"The rules are as follows: Find the killer or you all die and they get to walk free. Seems pretty fucking simple to me!"**  _Sabankuma shouted from his seat.

Hoshukuma sighed quietly at Saban's volume.  _ **"...I doubt they can manage something that simple. They don't seem like the brightest of students."**_

 _ **"He he he, sounds about right,"**_  Saban replied.

Kazuko sighed as she finished her search of the hat. "Aww man, you don't even have a rabbit in here. Fucking lame!" She popped the hat on her head. "Look at me, everyone! I'm the wicked witch of the railway!" she announced with gusto.

"Sorry to disappoint," Adohira deadpanned before staring out the windows. "This is as fine a place to die as any... Tsk, yeah right, like I'm going to let that happen." He tenderly set down his briefcase next to his podium.

Much like many of the others, Axel stared out the window, enamored by the view. "I've never seen this much snow before..."

"No kidding. It'd be beautiful, if we weren't trapped in this shitty situation." Sarah breathed as she took her podium.

"You better enjoy the view, Axel, since I'm sure it'll be your last," Adohira quipped in a plain manner as he eyed the Soccer Player.

Axel jumped at his words. "Wait a minute! I didn't do it. I have an alibi." He buried his head in his scarf. "At least, I think I do."

"I can vouch for him. We had talked while looking after Eline's body. He said he was with the pipsqueak," Sarah said with a slight shrug.

"Yeah, that's right!" Emizel said, puffing up his chest. "I was with Axel in the hours before the murder. I fell asleep right next to him, after all!" Emziel grinned dorkily before his face fell in realization. "Hang on, wait a minute..."

Adohira rolled his eyes. "Splendid alibi. You fell asleep, so your account is tenuous at best. And don't even think about using an excuse like being a light sleeper as a counter argument. Clearly, the testimony means little."

The Monk impatiently tapped her foot against the podium. "Can we please save accusations and speculation till after the bears are done? I want to make sure we haven't missed anything."

Akakuma cleared his throat.  _ **"Glad one of you has some manners. So the rules of this game are pretty simple. You all go back and forth and present your evidence as you search for the blackened. At some point, either I'll call for time or you'll feel confident in your choice. Either way, when that time arrives, you all must vote. If you pick the right one, you all continue your journey and only the blackened will be punished. If you pick the wrong person, then the rest of you will be punished and they'll be allowed to leave this train of despair. So without further ado, let the first trial begin!"**_

"Can't say I have any experience in this department. How do we even start?" Tonbe's brow furrowed.

"Perhaps we should start with the manner of death?" Yumei suggested. "I believe there were some discoveries made, in that regard. Or is there something else we should start with?"

Emziel rubbed the back of his head. "Well, Tonbe and I found some things in the passenger car. There was a syringe and all this wet tissue paper in the bathroom. It all stank of almonds, so I assume that's the cyanide Adohira mentioned."

The Seismologist nodded. "We also noticed a missing pipe in the sitting area, but weren't sure if it was related."

"Fascinating. That explains a few things in my mind," Adohira said with a smirk. "Kodaka and I discovered the bottle of cyanide in the kitchen itself. All these things, together, paint a compelling image. The tissues and syringe were a result of someone handling and preparing the poison, and due to the scratches on the bottle I found, I'd be willing to bet it was caused by being forced into the missing pipe."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Axel shyly looked around. "Well, if that's the case, then where's the pipe? Did anyone find anything?"

Tonbe shook his head. "We never did find it, and we even checked the adjacent cars to be safe."

"Strange, there should only be so many places to hide it with only three cars available," Yumei mused with a slight frown. "Perhaps, for the time being, we should shift to seeing who has a proper alibi."

"Yes. Eline's utensils were coated in cyanide, and Kodaka can confirm this. Since we know how it was likely dispensed, we just have to find who had the window of time to accomplish this task," Adohira responded.  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Kazuko rubbed her chin. "Well, I think we can safely say that Tonbe and Yumei couldn't have done it, on account that Tonbe was in the process of making Yumei's pussy quake." She winked at Tonbe. "Get it?"  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

The Seismologist raised a hand to his face as an uncomfortable blush settled across his cheeks. "I-I uh..."

"...Make another crack like that, and I'll show you a game I just created. It's called Swallow the Teeth. Don't worry, it's a free game without micro-transactions," Yumei said as she cracked her knuckles and tried to fight the mixture of embarrassment and irritation. "Tch, we were occupied and that's all the rest of you need to know."

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, this is great!" Kazuko declared. "Other than that, I don't think anyone else has a solid alibi. Feel free to correct me."

Sarah rubbed her neck. "Not to sidetrack us again, but in regards to the poison, why was Eline targeted? Or maybe I should ask how?"

"That's simple enough. The culprit didn't care who was on the receiving end. Only a single set was poisoned, and since cyanide acts so quickly, Eline's fate was sealed," Adohira explained nonchalantly.  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Tonbe, recovering from his embarrassment, looked up at the Wizard. "If the utensils were set out by the bears, then that means that the target would have been random. The murderer would have been at risk if they ate, too. I'm not accusing you two of anything yet, but you and Sarah both didn't eat."

"Hm. Since there wasn't any particular seating order, it does seem like it was likely random. Unless the killer knew Eline would sit there, it's just conjecture. Tonbe raises a good point, though. If it was random, then the only way to protect yourselves would be to avoid eating all together," Yumei stated.

"Not necessarily. Just because the killer didn't know who would be poisoned, doesn't mean they didn't know where the poisoned utensils would be. In fact, I'd argue that it makes more sense for the killer to eat to avoid undue suspicion. Why would Adohira and I put suspicion on ourselves like that?" Sarah asked before sighing. "The answer is simple. We wouldn't."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

"Speak for yourself… but you're right. I don't think it's particularly important whether the murder was targeted or not. And if I wanted to avoid scrutiny, I wouldn't have done something to make myself stand out," Adohira added.

Axel sighed. "Oh, then we're back to where we started. Well, I know that Eline searched Sarah just before dinner, and she didn't have anything on her. That's how she knew Sarah didn't steal my ticket." Suddenly, he paled. "Oh God, did I just say that out loud?!"

"Axel, you couldn't fool a deaf and blind baby. We're very much aware of your... issue." Hoshu said with a grin.

Sabankuma rubbed a paw against his forehead.  _ **"What a fucking loser. Fortunately for you, we're not checking tickets at the moment."**_

 _ **"Nope, but should any of you survive this trial… we will be checking tickets in the future. Of course, that's if you still have a future!"**_  Akakuma exclaimed cheerfully.

"Oh no..." Axel moaned in fear.

"Forget about them for now!" Emizel interrupted. "Do we have any other way of narrowing down the timeframe? There has to be something!"

"I mean, we have evidence, but I don't know if there's anything to narrow our search," Tonbe mused with a slight frown.

Sarah shrugged. "I don't know if it's evidence, but I think it's obvious who had the most motive. Sorry to throw you under the bus, Axel, but it's likely you realized that a murder was the only way to avoid a ticket check. You waited till Emizel fell asleep and crept off to poison the utensils. You hoped if Emizel could remain asleep, he might provide you a tenuous alibi. Just admit it!"

Axel shook like a leaf. "No wait, please! I didn't do it! Eline was so nice and sweet, I'd never kill her." Tears started to flow down his face as he grabbed something under his scarf. "Mom... Dad... Umiko, someone help me."

"Oh please!" Kazuko shouted. "Let's just vote for this retard and get it over with. It's clear we're not getting anywhere! He's probably too stupid to confess!"

"We can make that happen, if you want. Should we call for a vote?" Hoshukuma asked with a bored expression.

"WAIT!" Emziel shrieked. "Wait a minute! We still haven't figured everything out, like the pipe. Maybe... someone still has it with them?"

Yumei folded her arms. "Maybe we should all turn out our pockets and bags? I'm not so certain we have all the details right now. I'd rather we not leave anything to chance."

Kazuko tilted her head. "So, we're looking for a pipe, right?"

"I believe that's the case. Like I said earlier, Emizel and I certainly didn't find it during our investigation," Tonbe replied.

The Wizard sighed. "Neither did we, to my knowledge. I had no idea that was our priority at the time."

Kazuko thought for a moment, before gasping. "Oh, you mean this pipe?!" She said as pulled out a pipe from her long sleeves and held it up triumphantly. "I was wondering what this thing was for."

"What the fuck? Why do you have that?" Sarah asked as her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Goddamn it, Kodaka. If you're innocent, you better start working on a defense." Adohira stated with exasperation in his voice as he stared at her. "What the fuck are you thinking?"

The Game Designer shrugged her shoulders. "I just found it on the ground. I thought I could use it to loosen Axel's tight asshole." She giggled.

Emizel scowled. "Is that all you have to say? Do you have any idea the gravity of the situation you are in?!"

Axel slowly looked up at the girl. "K-Kazuko?"

"You just found it on the ground?" Yumei asked with a raised brow. "We need more information than that. You need to elaborate. Where exactly did you find it?"

"I don't know, the fucking coach car? I don't remember," Kazuko said dismissively. "What's the big deal?"

The Ultimate Seismologist shook his head. "I'm afraid that isn't going to cut it. We need more details."

The Game Designer shrugged. "What? Do you wanna know what kind of underwear I'm wearing or some shit? How much detail do you need?"

Adohira took a few deep breaths, showing hints of losing his cool for the very first time. "Kodaka, we're not playing any fucking games here. I'm not going to die here just because you can't come up with a better defense."

"Don't you all get it?!" Kazuko shouted. "Life is a game, it's all one big fucking game! It's not my fault if you don't like it!" She paused and thought for a moment. "Okay, you want to know the truth? The truth is I saw Axel dump it in there. He must have done it after taking out the poison bottle."

Axel was completely stunned. "W-w-what?! I never did that!"

"Oh really?" Sarah said, raising an eyebrow at the Game Designer. "And how come you didn't mention this before?"

"I wanted to keep the trial interesting. It would have been boring, otherwise," Kazuko repiled flippantly.

"So, Axel was just walking around the train holding a pipe and none of us saw him? Sorry, but I don't buy it." Sarah's eyes narrowed.

"He had it hidden in his coat! Use some fucking brainpower, ya stupid white trash!" Kazuko gripped the sides of her podium tightly.

"Bullshit! Kazuko, you killed Eline, didn't you!" Emizel shouted back.

"Oh fuck off, cocksucker!" she roared. "What do you know about anything?!"

The Monk pinched the bridge of her nose. "This yelling and screaming isn't helping anyone. Kazuko, if what you're saying is true, we need some solid evidence. Because from where I'm sitting, you don't have an alibi and are holding a major piece of evidence."

"...Kodaka, let me see that pipe. If I'm going to clear you… I need to have all the evidence in front of me," Adohira said in a stern manner.

Kazuko gave Adohira a cold stare. She walked over slowly and handed it to him. "Sure, Ado. Whatcha looking for?" she said with some concern in her voice.

"Don't call me that… I just need to find evidence to the contrary. Something that proves this is just a red herring," the boy replied as he carefully inspected the inside of the pipe. After a moment, his arms shook as a look of apprehension fell across his face.

"What is it? What did you find?" Tonbe asked with a look of concern.

Adohira took a deep breath. "...Pink fibers, which of course, isn't unreasonable considering she was handling it. There's no evidence of anything else."

Tonbe thought for a moment. "Pink fibers?" He glanced at the soccer player. "Axel's coat is black. If that pipe doesn't have any black fibers in it, then that means that Axel couldn't have had it on him."

"Which means Axel's innocent," Emizel said with a sigh of relief.

Axel began to calm down. "I-I told you I didn't do it," he said sheepishly.

"Yeah, seems that way. The only other person wearing pink is you, Adohira, but I doubt that bowtie has fibers like that. What it does prove, however, is that Kazuko has been lying to us. Would you care to explain yourself?" Sarah asked. _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Kazuko gritted her teeth. "So, you're all ganging up on me now? Well fine! But I have just one question. Why would I do it? I was having the time of my life on this train; I had no reason to commit murder!"

The Wizard offered a surprisingly pained expression. "...The cold itself. I saw you under the table, Kodaka. You were shaking. I also heard what you said. If I had to guess... this has something to do with what you told me earlier."  _ **TRUTH BULLET**_

Kazuko looked at the wizard. For a moment, there was silence. Until suddenly, "He... he... he he he he he. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..." Kazuko started to laugh to herself as she slowly made her way over to her podium. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Oh, Adohira. Once again, you've seen right through me. It makes me want to laugh..." Her smile soon disappeared. What replaced it was a look of pure despair. "No, this isn't funny. This is pathetic." She sighed. "Yes, it's true... I... I killed her."

Axel looked at her in pained disbelief. "How... how could you? Why did you kill Eline? Why her?"

"I know this doesn't bring you any comfort, but I'm sure Kazuko didn't specifically target her. It could have been any of us," Yumei mused as she shook her head.

Kazuko looked up at Adohira. "You were right. You know that lake I mentioned? One day, I got so bored I decided to play on it. That was a terrible idea. I fell through the ice and almost died. I spent three weeks in the hospital." She held herself. "If there's one thing I hate more than boredom, it's the cold." She looked at Axel. "I had nothing against Eline, but I just couldn't take it anymore..."

* * *

_**BEGIN FLASHBACK** _

**5:25 PM**

**Dining Car**

**Kitchen**

_Kazuko shivered as she slowly made her way into the kitchen, poisoned cutlery in hand. She looked around, spotting Sabankuma preparing the food for dinner. The sprinklers had been stopped in the kitchen, much to her relief._

_Trying to stay quiet, she began to creep past the Caretaker. She made her way through the kitchen and had almost reached the cutlery cart, when she heard a voice come from behind her._

_**"And what do you think you're doing, young lady?"**  Saban said, tapping his foot._

_"What do you think?" she answered flatly with sarcasm._

**_"I think you're trying to commit a murder... Good on ya! You were always one of the smarter ones."_ **

_"No shit, Sherlock." She sighed. "Look, I'm just going to remove what's necessary from that cart and then put in my own stuff. Then you and your family get what you want, right?"_

_Saban shrugged his shoulders. **"As long as you're trying to kill someone, feel free! The rules state the staff may not directly harm any of the passengers, but there ain't no rule saying I can't be an accomplice. After all, you're the one doing the poisoning."**_

_"I guess I should count myself lucky then," she said as she took out a set of cutlery from the cart, set it down in a kitchen drawer, and replaced the space with her own poisoned cutlery. "Just out of curiosity, will the blackened be me or the loser who eats with this?"_

**_"Err... what kind of question is that? Of course you'll be the blackened! What kind of insane moron would say otherwise?!"_ **

_"Maybe the original bear?" she deadpanned. "I remember he had some strange logic regarding this kind of stuff." As she finished with the cart, she rolled the bottle of poison into one corner of the room._

_Saban's smile widened **"Let's just say the one controlling us and the one who controlled Monokuma are two very different breeds of animal."**_

_Kazuko looked around, making sure that her plan was all in effect. "I guessed as much. Now, when someone dies, the cold will stop, right?" She shivered._

_**"Yeah, yeah! Once we have a stiff, the motive will stop. We are bears of our word, after all."**  He paused and looked her over.  **"You know, I think you have a lot of potential. Bored with the world, oh the despair you must feel!"**_

_Kazuko cringed. "I guess I should take that as a complement…" she muttered as she made her way out of the kitchen._

_**END FLASHBACK** _

* * *

**7:24 P.M Day One**

**Trial Car**

**Courtroom**

Tonbe looked up at the bears in shock. "Sabankuma was an accomplice?! How is that fair?!"

Hoshu shrugged his shoulders.  _ **"The world ain't fair, kid. If any of you need some help, we may be of… assistance, as long as you're the one pulling the trigger."**  _He winked back at the teen.

Sabankuma, surprisingly, watched on in total silence.

Adohira had a weary expression on his face. "Kodaka... no. Kazuko, you were the closest thing to a friend I've had in years. How ironic… I let my own bias blind me, because I wanted to believe you weren't the culprit. Damm it, why couldn't you have just talked to me?"

Kazuko turned away, took the hat off her head, and discreetly placed something in it. She walked over slowly, tears in her eyes, and returned it to him. Then she wrapped him in a soft hug. "I'm so sorry, Ado. I've only known you for a day and yet, I feel the same way. I really wanted to play some of my games with you... I'm such an idiot."

"Yeah, you are an idiot..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably as he weakly returned the gesture. "I would have played any game you wanted..."

Adohira sucked in a sharp breath as he blinked back the moisture that had collected in the corners of his eyes. Glancing down at his hat, he deftly retrieved its contents before placing it back on Kazuko's head. "...Here, keep it. Probably looks better on you, anyway... Besides, I'm not really a wizard."

Kazuko appreciatively adjusted the hat on her head. "Well, you're still full of surprises, aren't you? But if you want to do me a favor, there is one thing I'd like. You know that game I made for the kids? Well, it actually got licenced. It's called Talent Development Plan. If you ever find it, play it with some friends, for my sake." She smiled weakly as she walked back to her podium.

Emizel gave the girl a firm stare. "Kazuko... I cannot condone what you put Axel through during the trial... but, I cannot say I blame you completely. Your murder saved all of our lives." He growled. "Those fucking bears forced you to do this."

"Indeed, our inaction would have caused us to all perish. Had you not made that sacrifice, we would likely not have survived till midnight," Yumei said in a quiet manner. "I hope you can find peace with that."

Sarah crossed her arms. "This entire situation is fucked. Sorry, Kazuko, but it seems like you really got the shit end of the stick."

Akakuma made a gagging sound.  _ **"Sheesh, and they call me a baby. Look, this is getting gross. Finish your goodbyes so we can get onto voting."**_

Kazuko looked at the gathered passengers. "Sorry for going out in such a lame way, everyone. Please don't make the same mistakes I did." She gazed down. "Just vote and get this over with."

Several seconds passed as each member of the group casted their votes. The silence was finally broken by Akakuma.

 _ **"Bahaha! You guys actually managed to nail it on the head. Kazuko Kodaka is indeed the culprit of this heinous crime! Anything you'd like to say, before your final departure, missy?"**_  He asked with a wide grin as he peered around the room.

Kazuko sighed. "My whole life, I've never cared about anyone but myself. But you know, I think I'm finally past that." She looked at Adohira. "Ado, you're a better person than I am. Please don't let them get to you. Get out of here. Live and most importantly, have some fun." She smiled brightly at him as she waved goodbye.

The tender moment was interrupted, however. Kazuko was suddenly jerked up violently as she was levitated by the throat. Sabankuma roared out and slammed his fist into the side of his chair, causing it to crack, as the bear stood up and walked towards the front of the stage.  _ **"Shut your mouth, you little whore! This isn't despair, this is just disappointment! I gave you that chance to poison that cutlery and you still fucked it up!"**  _A strange, green, ethereal portal opened behind the Game Designer. She was thrown through it.  _ **"Go out screaming, you stupid cunt!"**_

The passengers stared bewildered as they watched the portal pop into existence and take Kazuko away.

"What magic is this?!" Emizel shouted.

Akakuma giggled like a child as he clapped his hands together.  _ **"Oh boy! Here comes the best part! Time for your punishment!"**_

No sooner than it had appeared, did it suddenly vanish with a shimmering light. A video screen descended from the ceiling and flickered on...

* * *

**7:31 P.M Day One**

**?**

**Punishment Room**

_**"Aha, this is where you get off the train, Kazuko! I call this punishment: Pipe Dream!"**  _Akakuma's voice filled the darkened room before the lights slowly flickered on.

Strangely enough, the room resembled an 8-bit video game with Kazuko being one of the few exceptions. There were what appeared to be blue and white clouds in the background against a long, brick-like walkway. Kazuko found herself standing along this stretch of walkway as other 3D objects began to inhabit the world. Towering pillars and archways sprang to life all around her. She found herself having to bolt forward to avoid several of these structures. Then a retro soundtrack began to play, though it seemed to be in reverse. The Game Designer suddenly turned around to see a large, turtle-like creature lumbering towards her. It stood nearly as tall as she was. Reacting on instinct, the girl barreled forward, before lunging over another creature that greatly resembled a mushroom with eyes.

As she hazarded a glance behind her, she noticed more of these creatures following at a slow but steady pace. Before her stood a tall, green pipe. It seemed to be the only structure in this direction. There was a giant precipice flanking both sides of the walkway. Realizing she was cornered, she jumped before grasping the side of the pipe. Perhaps it was fear or adrenaline, but she managed to slowly climb to the top of the pipe, and was now safe from the creatures.

Kazuko peered down the other side and was greeted by only a black chasm. However, she could also see that the pipe itself was rather wide. Going back now was unfeasible. Maybe, just maybe, this was her way out. She had thrown her legs over into the interior of the pipe when she heard the gnashing of teeth. She instinctively tried to pull away, but she wasn't fast enough. What followed was an excruciating pain as razor-sharp teeth latched onto her bottom half and dragged her into the pipe. The girl bit back an agonizing scream as she tried to pull herself away, but she was overpowered. She could feel the needle-like teeth rending her flesh apart. Still, she tried to persist. Her hands clutched at the top of the pipe as she was pulled ever downward.

The light of the artificial word slowly faded as the Piranha Plant's maw opened wider before lurching up. Its mouth fully enveloped the girl and yanked her down to her fate. Muffled screams echoed through the pipe as blood streaked along the metal walls. However, these sounds would soon fade. It was game over for the Ultimate Game Designer.

Kazuko Kodaka was very much dead…

* * *

**7:37 P.M Day One**

**Trial Car**

**Courtroom**

Refusing to look away, Adohira unblinkingly watched Kazuko's final moments. When it was finished, he closed his eyes firmly and stood in silence.

"O-oh god," Emizel said as he tried not to be sick.

Axel watched the scene in absolute horror, violently flinching as the plant ripped into her legs. After all was said and done, his head was pressed down against his podium. His heavy breathing could be heard muffled from within.

"You fucking bastards." Sarah glared at the bears.

Saban stood silently as he watched the girl get devoured. Hoshukuma walked up from behind him and placed a paw on his shoulder.  _ **"Haven't seen you get that worked up in a long time. You alright?"**_

Saban looked back at Hoshu.  _ **"I'm fine. It's just…"**_  He looked back at the monitor.  _ **"Such wasted potential…"**_

Yumei watched wordlessly and gripped the podium as Kazuko's execution played out... She felt sick at seeing such violence, such senseless slaughter… but another feeling overpowered that entirely. Slowly, but surely, the anger she so carefully managed started to bubble toward the surface. The raw, dangerous aura that had surrounded her once before reappeared, while her podium cracked a little. "This injustice… such senseless slaughter..." Yumei seethed, her eye flickering toward the cajoling bears. "You wretched little automatons. You are truly nothing but monsters. Monsters who deserve to be destroyed!"

Tonbe wheeled around when he heard Yumei's shouting. He rushed over to her side and reached a hand around her. "Yumei! Please, I know you're upset, but don't do anything you're going to regret. We've lost enough, already. I don't think I could stand to see what happens to you..." A tear fell down his cheek as he pleaded with her, trying to calm her down.

Saban's eye caught Yumei's anger, and a grin once again crawled onto his face.  _ **"Well, maybe there is still some potential in this lot, after all."**_  He chuckled cruelly.

Akakuma offered a mock pout as he adjusted his cap.  _ **"Sheesh, I thought the Ultimate Game Designer would be better at games than that. Oh well, I guess you win some and, in her case, you reaalllly lose some. Don't be too beat up, though. I mean, at least you get to sleep in warm beds tonight. I'd say that's a pretty good trade-off." He giggled. "Oh, and one more thing. While we could call for a ticket check now and get two for the price of one, I've got a better idea. Everyone, check your Monopads. I've made some adjustments to the rules."**_

The Monopads on all of the remaining passengers flared to life and on them, the rule list had been modified as followed:

* * *

**1\. Every passenger on board has been provided with a ticket for the journey. The staff may ask you to show your ticket at any time during the trip. Failure to present your ticket on-demand is terms for expulsion off the train.**

**2\. Any passenger who collects three tickets will be allowed to leave the train safety. Tickets on passengers will be destroyed if they are executed with them. However, tickets on bodies killed by other means will remain valid.**

* * *

_**"There we go! Now Axel should have an easier time trying to get his ticket back! Get some rest, everyone, and enjoy the new cars, because this journey has only just begun!"**_  Akakuma exclaimed gleefully.

* * *

**6 Survivors Remain**

* * *


End file.
